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Portrait of the Author 










COLDS, COUGHS 
and CATARRH 


BY 

BERNARR MACFADDEN 

n 

Author of Macfadden’s Encyclopedia of Physical Cul¬ 
ture, Strengthening the Nerves, Asthma and Hay-Fever, 
Rheumatism, Constipation, Tooth Troubles, Miracle of 
Milk, Diabetes, Headaches, Strengthening the Spine, 
Foot Troubles, and Other Works on Health and Sex 


NEW YORK 

MACFADDEN PUBLICATIONS, Inc 
1926 








RCm 

,K 3 



Copyright, 1926 

By MACFADDEN PUBLICATIONS, Inc. 
In the United States , Canada and Great Britain 


Printed in the United States of America 

DEC-6'26 


©C1A957441 


PREFACE 


A LL too many of us are prone to take 
health lightly. When we have good 
health we accept it as a matter of course, giv¬ 
ing no thought to its perpetuation, but doing 
anything and everything which pleases us re¬ 
gardless of the ultimate effect on bodily har¬ 
mony. Many a misguided person has assumed 
and even boasted that his stomach was made 
of armor plate and would digest nails, only 
to discover when he least expected that his 
stomach would digest nothing. So prevalent 
is this habit of carelessness in health that it 
has been claimed that a person with some 
slight weakness or functional disorder will 
live longer than a strong person because the 
afflicted one finds it necessary to live care¬ 
fully at all times in order to live in comfort. 
However, I should not advise anyone to cul¬ 
tivate a weakness. I advise, instead, the cul¬ 
tivation of some common sense which will 
protect from foolish indulgence. 

There is another class of people who, while 
admitting the necessity for careful living even 


Preface 


in health, will refuse to observe such care, say¬ 
ing that they would rather live a few years less 
and enjoy (?) themselves during that period. 
They fail to realize that it is not merely a 
matter of shortening the life span by a few 
years, but of living life in comfort, and in real, 
not imaginary, enjoyment. Such persons are 
likely to live longer than they wish to live 
through years of suffering. 

Both classes, as soon as they begin to feel 
uncomfortable as a result of abuse of their 
bodies, immediately lose all confidence, are 
filled with a multitude of fears, and rush 
madly from this doctor to that one, seeking 
vainly the help that can be found only within 
themselves. 

Many efforts have been made by individ¬ 
uals, societies, and even business organizations 
to awaken people to the need for right living 
at all times if they would be healthy, success¬ 
ful, and happy. It is only within recent years, 
however, that the lesson has begun to “go 
home.’ , By means of statistics, examples, and 
experiments, broadcasted through books, 
magazines, lectures, advertisements, the radio, 
“health days,” etc., the people have been 


VI 



Preface 


shown that they lose greatly in money and 
happiness by not taking proper care of them¬ 
selves. Show a man where he loses money by 
a certain course of action and frequently he 
will change; but show anyone where he loses 
in happiness and, though he may change, the 
change will be slow and perhaps even ulti¬ 
mately be inadequate. 

It is difficult to estimate the economic loss 
and the unhappiness that has resulted from 
the common disorders, known as colds, coughs, 
and catarrh. They are so common that most 
people are inclined to accept them as a matter 
of course, without realizing the far-reaching 
effects that may develop. For instance, sup¬ 
pose the first born of a newly married couple 
is not properly fed and cared for (this is a 
very common state of affairs, as unfortunately 
our young people are not trained to become 
parents) and develops frequent colds. The 
mother worries and the father worries. The 
child becomes irritable, requires much more 
attention during the day and continually dis¬ 
turbs its parents at night. They lose sleep, 
and, with worry to aggravate them, they too 
become irritable. Quarreling results, and an 
vii 



Preface 


otherwise happy marriage may end in divorce. 
This may appear to be a “far-fetched” illus¬ 
tration but it serves to show the possibilities. 

Consider the various vocations that are radi¬ 
cally affected by colds, coughs, and catarrh. 
A famous singer may lose several thousand 
dollars and considerable prestige from disap¬ 
pointing an audience. An unknown singer 
may lose his one big chance for recognition as 
a result of a cold. In a closely contested elec¬ 
tion a candidate may miss his opportunity of 
election because a cold prevented him from 
making public appearances at a critical time. 
A minister may fail to “save” a hundred souls 
because a cold broke up his revival meetings. 
A salesman may fail to make the sale on which 
he has set his heart because a cold prevented 
him from expressing himself adequately. A 
poor school teacher may lose a part of her 
much needed salary because she had been in¬ 
capacitated by a cold and cough. Many an 
athlete has failed to break the record or win a 
championship because he allowed a cold to 
develop. One cannot breathe adequately, nor¬ 
mally function physically, express himself 
clearly, or even think rationally when even 

viii 



Preface 


only his nose is “all stopped up” with a cold. 

Not only money and opportunities are jeop¬ 
ardized by colds, coughs, and catarrh, but 
social pleasures, and even one’s religious de¬ 
votions may be interfered with. Who can en¬ 
joy himself at a dance when unable to breathe 
properly and under the constant necessity of 
using a handkerchief? Who likes to go to a 
theatre or a church when under the frequent 
necessity of coughing, sneezing, or blowing 
the nose? Who can discover the hidden 
beauty in the fairest face when concealed by a 
red and swollen nose, chapped lips, and con¬ 
gested eyes? Or what man can impress the 
lady of his choice when he is continually hawk¬ 
ing and clearing his throat or nose and either 
swallowing or expectorating mucus? These 
are but a few examples of the many unpleas¬ 
ant situations that may arise as a result of 
colds, coughs, and catarrh. 

To return to the economic phase of the sub¬ 
ject for a moment, consider the results of the 
health survey made in 1921 by the Metropoli¬ 
tan Life Insurance Company. In that year 
there were 16.2 absences on account of sick¬ 
ness for every hundred clerks in their own 

ix 



Preface 


organization. The average number of days of 
absence per clerk per year was 4.1 for men 
and 8.1 for women. Most of these sickness 
absences were due to colds and their sequeke 
—grippe, influenza, tonsilitis, bronchitis, 
etc. In 1923 the same company found that 
colds occurred at the rate of 240.7 per 1000. 
The average number of days lost per case 
was 2.2. 

In 1919 a survey was made in New York 
state of 76,559 factory employees, and it was 
found that 45 per cent, or nearly half, of the 
sickness disability was due to colds. And 32 
per cent of loss of working time was due to 
this cause. 

From a consideration of the factors that I 
have mentioned it readily will be seen that 
colds, coughs, and catarrh are not to be taken 
lightly. They indicate that a toxic condition 
is present in the body and if the accumulation 
of poisons is not removed almost anything in 
the way of illness may result. The complica¬ 
tions that may follow an “ordinary cold” are 
so many and so extensive that I have devoted 
a separate chapter in this book to their con¬ 
sideration. Prompt treatment of all diseases 



Preface 


is very necessary, even of the so called minor 
ones. 

Let us not forget, however, that important 
though treatment may be, it is completely 
overshadowed in importance by prevention. 
Prevention saves all—time, money, energy, 
suffering, and many times life itself. Just 
think for a moment of all the things you could 
lose through sickness, and you will realize the 
importance of prevention of sickness. 

And what constitutes prevention? Right 
living at all times, even when feeling in the 
very best health possible; study of the body 
and its care, and practice of the knowledge 
gained; appreciation of the fact that eternal 
vigilance is necessary in overcoming the ad¬ 
versities of environment, particularly in a 
civilized community. 

The six cardinal points in right living are 
proper diet, exercise, breathing, bathing, 
sleeping, and thinking. It is difficult to say 
which is the most important, as each depends 
upon, and helps the others. One thing is cer¬ 
tain, however: that without a proper balance 
among them the best of health and immunity 
from disease are impossible. 

xi 



Preface 


Most people have at least two colds every 
year, one in the spring and one in the fall, 
and not a few far exceed this number; some, 
in fact, having a cold almost perpetually. To 
these it may seem like a fond dream that im¬ 
munity is possible, but I can assure you that 
it is so if you are willing to make the effort. 

I shall consider in these pages the correla¬ 
tion between colds, coughs, and catarrh and 
the similarity of the causes that produce all 
three. By avoiding the causes, the diseases 
themselves may be avoided. By making con¬ 
structive use of the right habits of living dis¬ 
cussed in the chapters on treatment, any 
present attack of colds, coughs, or catarrh 
may be eliminated, and vitality so increased 
that a genuine immunity is attained and main¬ 
tained as long as one continues to adhere to 
the laws of right living. 



xii 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

Preface . v 

I Correlation between Colds, Coughs 

and Catarrh . 1 

II Parts Affected by Colds, Coughs 

and Catarrh . 9 

III Causes of Colds, Coughs and 

Catarrh . 31 

IV Symptoms of Colds, Coughs and 

Catarrh . 68 

V Treatment of Colds . 77 

VI Treatment of Coughs. Ill 

VII Treatment of Catarrh. 126 

VIII Complications of Colds, Coughs and 

Catarrh, and their Treatment . . 177 

IX Main Points in Treatment Summa¬ 
rized . 199 

X Prevention of Future Colds, Coughs 

and Catarrh. 205 












« 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

SUBJECT PAGE 

Portrait of the Author. Frontispiece 

Section of the Nose, Upper Pharynx and Mouth 10 

Section Showing Upper Air Passages. 13 

Respiratory Passage from the Pharynx. 17 

Lower End of the Air Passage. 19 

The Wet-Sheet Pack. 99 

The Blanket Pack . 100 

The Trunk Pack . 101 

The Throat Pack. 102 

Exercise for Chest and Lungs. 151 

Exercise for Toning up Chest and Shoulders. . 152 

Abdominal Exercise . 153 

Exercise for Back and Hips. 154 

Chest and Back Exercise. 155 

Chest and Abdominal Exercise. 156 

One Form of Exhaling. 157 

General Body Exercise . 158 

The Stimulating Breath Exercise. 159 

Inhaling Exercise . .. 160 

Neck-Resisting Exercise . 161 

Vibratory Exercises . 162 

Another Form of Vibratory Exercises. 163 

Relaxing, Breathing and Exhaling. 164 

The Resistive Breathing Exercise. 165 

Another Form of Resistive Breathing Exercise 166 

























I 


Colds, Coughs and 
Catarrh 

CHAPTER I 

Correlation Between Colds, Coughs 
and Catarrh 

T O those who understand the unity of dis¬ 
ease this chapter is scarcely necessary. 
But unfortunately there are still many folks 
who are totally ignorant of the real nature of 
disease and who yet wander in the mazes of 
medical and other superstitions, or are so 
blinded by the authority complex that they 
believe that whatever is generally accepted 
must be right. Such persons have the idea 
that all so-called diseases are different from 
all others, simply because of the difference in 
symptoms; and they consider it the height of 
folly to use the same treatment for different 
“diseases.” They think that disease “attacks” 
l 


Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


one, that it is an accident, like being held up 
on the street, or a Divine visitation of retribu¬ 
tion. Disease to them is an ogre which must 
be fought with medicine, the knife, and that 
mysterious force, the M.D. degree, which to 
their minds transforms an ordinary individual 
into a nearly omniscient, omnipotent arbiter of 
life and death. This chapter will bring to 
these, I hope, enlightenment; and to all others 
a better understanding of the fundamental 
oneness of disease, and particularly the close 
relation between colds, coughs, and catarrh. 
By even the most superficial observation this 
relation should be visible; but the full extent 
of it becomes apparent only after deeper 
study, when it will be seen that these ailments 
are related as to causes, symptoms, pathology, 
and treatment, such variations as there are be¬ 
ing mostly a matter of degree. 

Toxemia, or the excessive accumulation of 
digestion and metabolism by-products and 
foreign matter in the body resulting from 
wrong habits of living, is the basis of all dis¬ 
ease or imperfect functioning except those 
conditions due to accident. It is the same with 
any machine. Keep it clean, well oiled, and 
2 



Correlation Between Them 


properly fueled (not under-fueled or over¬ 
fueled) , and it will run smoothly and well; but 
put sand in the bearings, forget to oil it, and 
give it a low grade fuel or excessive fuel and 
it soon will cease to operate. Take a fish from 
salt water and put it in fresh water and it will 
soon languish and die. Or take a wild animal 
from its natural habitat, confine it, feed it 
“civilized” foods, and it will quickly become 
diseased. 

The difference between a machine and a fish, 
beast or human is that if taken in time an ani¬ 
mal can restore itself to normal while a ma¬ 
chine requires outside assistance. If the salt 
water fish is restored to the ocean it will soon 
recuperate, and if the wild animal is set free 
it will not take long to regain its former health. 
Similarly, if a human being, who has allowed 
himself to indulge in improper habits of living 
until his body is filled with poison, will change 
those habits, his body soon will purify itself 
and again become healthy. Thus it will be 
seen that if toxemia is the basis of disease— 
and I am convinced that this cannot be suc¬ 
cessfully contradicted—the basis of health is 
a clean blood stream and clean tissues; and 

3 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


these conditions are produced in the body ac¬ 
cording as we live wrongly or rightly, not 
merely as a matter of fate. Our natural physi¬ 
cal state is health, and it is only when we con¬ 
tinually interfere with the body that it becomes 
unhealthy and diseased. 

Since colds, coughs and catarrh all are on a 
basis of toxemia they must be merely different 
manifestations of this same cause or condition. 
This is indeed so. (Of course, coughs are 
sometimes due simply to the entrance of for¬ 
eign matter into the throat, but such coughs 
would be classed as truly accidental.) When 
the toxemia has developed, the body realizes 
the necessity for an extraordinary cleansing 
and its first effort at vicarious elimination 
takes the form of an acute crisis called a 
“cold,” which may or may not be associated 
with a cough. If neglected, a cough usually 
develops ; and if medicine is taken or the cold 
is otherwise improperly treated it gradually 
assumes a chronic state, which we call catarrh. 

A cold is a sudden more or less violent in¬ 
flammation of the mucous membranes, to¬ 
gether with a large increase in discharge of 
mucus in order to flush out the impurities from 
4 




Correlation Between Them 


the body. Because of its comparative severity 
it usually is of short duration, the cleansing 
being accomplished rapidly. The medical 
terms for a cold include coryza and rhinitis. 
Coryza is applied to a cold in the head; rhinitis 
may be either a cold or catarrh according as it 
is acute or chronic; but no matter what the 
name, the condition is essentially the same. 
Catarrh is simply a chronic cold, the symptoms 
being the same except that they are less acute, 
and being less acute a longer time is required 
to purify the body, so catarrh generally is of 
long duration—chronic. A cough may be a 
symptom of either, or of both colds and ca¬ 
tarrh, but it is also a purifying measure. 
Hence it will be seen that they all are closely 
related. 

The pathology (changes in function or struc¬ 
ture, usually considered chiefly regarding 
tructuralchange) associated with colds and ca¬ 
tarrh always is located in the same tissue of the 
body, the mucous membrane, which is further 
evidence of the relation existing between these 
“diseases.” The variations in the changes in 
the mucous membranes in colds and catarrh 
are merely a matter of degree, as explained 
5 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


heretofore. As mucous membrane lines the 
respiratory, the digestive, and the genito¬ 
urinary systems, as well as special parts, such 
as the eye-lids, sinuses, etc., any of these re¬ 
gions may be affected. 

By far the most cases of these disorders, 
however, are found to involve the nose and 
throat, because these parts have the freest ac¬ 
cess to the surface of the body and foreign 
matter can be more quickly eliminated through 
them, and also because these parts are most 
exposed to the stimulations and irritations in 
the environment. As a rule, other parts are 
not affected until after considerable involve¬ 
ment of the nose and throat, or in case elimi¬ 
nation through these mucous membranes has 
been persistently suppressed by drugs and 
local applications of chemicals. For these rea¬ 
sons it usually is catarrh, the chronic condi¬ 
tion, which affects the bronchi, stomach, 
intestines, bladder, urethra, vagina, etc. No 
matter where the location, however, the pa¬ 
thology is practically the same. 

The symptoms of a cough are, of course, 
always located in the throat, the cough being 
produced as a result of irritation of the nerves 
6 



Correlation Between Them 


in the mucous membranes; but the source of 
the irritation may be either local, as in colds 
and catarrh, or referred from some other part, 
such as the stomach, liver, uterus, etc. Ab¬ 
normalities of these organs which may give 
rise to coughing are also fundamentally due 
to toxemia; so even in a referred cough the 
real cause is the same as in a direct cough. 

Colds, coughs, and catarrh are related also 
as to treatment, which is only reasonable to 
expect since they are related as to causes, and 
the aim of any rational therapy is to remove 
causes as well as their effects. The keynotes 
of treatment are elimination, the removal of 
the accumulation of poisons, and the increase 
of vitality to develop resistance and better 
functioning. Modifications of treatment are 
necessary only to allow for the difference be¬ 
tween acute and chronic conditions or for vari¬ 
ous special conditions which may be present 
in individual cases. 

It is because of the close relation between 
these ailments that they are being considered 
together in this book. Also because many 
people have all three conditions; or, if they 
only have one now, they are very likely to de- 
7 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


velop the others unless prompt and proper 
treatment is instituted. 

For a fuller understanding of the phenom¬ 
ena of colds, coughs, and catarrh, however, it 
is necessary to know something of the struc¬ 
ture and function of the parts affected, par¬ 
ticularly the mucous membranes; also the 
method by which reflex actions are produced, 
and certain other general facts about the 
body’s functions. These will be considered in 
the next chapter. 


8 



CHAPTER II 


Parts Affected by Colds, Coughs 
and Catarrh 

I T was stated in the last chapter that colds 
and catarrh occur most frequently in the 
nose, throat, and bronchi; this being the case we 
will confine our anatomical descriptions chiefly 
to these parts, giving only a general idea of the 
other parts which may be affected. When 
other regions of the body are affected the con¬ 
dition usually is given another name, such as 
pneumonia, sinusitis, gastritis, enteritis, ure¬ 
thritis, vaginitis, etc. But in all cases it is the 
mucous membranes which are affected, and a 
fairly thorough description of them will be 
given. In the case of the cough the irritation 
immediately giving rise to it will be found al¬ 
ways to occur in the throat, regardless of the 
original source of irritation. 

The nose is composed of two portions, ex¬ 
ternal and internal. The external portion is 
9 


Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


familiar to all, but as the internal portion may 
not be, a more detailed description of it will 
be required. The external portion is divided 
into two parts, the nostrils, and these by a 
thin plate called the septum, which is part 
cartilage and part bone. The bony part 
forms the bridge of the nose and is continued 
into the internal nose, which it bisects into 
two chambers called the fossae. On the outer 
walls of the fossae are three somewhat scroll¬ 
shaped bones—the turbinates—which divide 
these chambers from above downward into 
three parts, the upper, middle, and inferior 
meatuses, or openings. 


ATRIUM 
NASAL DUC 


VESTIBULE 
HARD PALATE 



.FRONTAL SINUS 

SUPERIOR TURBINATE 
SUPERIOR MEATUS 

'SPHENOIDAL SINUS 

MIDDLE TURBINATE 
INFERIOR TURBINATE 


ORIFICE OF 
EUSTACHIAN TUBE 


INFERIOR MEATUS 

MIDDLE MEATUS 


PALATE 


Section of the nose, upper pharynx and mouth. Catarrh and 
colds frequently involve these regions. 


10 




Parts Affected 


the NOSE 

On the roof of the nose and the walls of the 
meatuses are found various openings leading 
to the spongy bones behind the nose and the 
hollow parts (sinuses) of the bones of the fore¬ 
head and upper jaw (cheek bones). These 
are known respectively as the orifices of the 
ethmoidal, sphenoidal, and frontal sinuses and 
of the antrum (sinus of the upper jaw). It 
is through these openings that catarrh of the 
nose may extend to the sinuses, producing 
sinusitis. There is another opening on the wall 
of the inferior meatus that leads through a 
duct to the eye. This is called the lacrimal 
duct, as it is a drainage canal for excess 
tears; but it may also be the means of per¬ 
mitting an extension of a cold or catarrh to 
the eye. 

All these parts—nostrils, fossee, sinuses, an¬ 
trum, and lacrimal duct—are lined with mu¬ 
cous membrane that is continuous from one to 
the other. This is thicker in the upper than 
in the lower part of the nose, and in this thicker 
portion are found the end-organs of the nerves 
11 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


of smell, the olfactory nerves. The mucous 
membrane of the nose is ciliated (covered with 
fine hair-like processes) and the entrances of 
the nostrils are guarded by real hairs. The 
back of the nose opens into the naso-pharynx 
(see description of pharynx), the openings be¬ 
ing known as the posterior nares in contradis¬ 
tinction to the nostrils, which are technically 
known as the anterior nares. 

The function of the nose is to prepare air 
for the lungs by heating, moistening, and filter¬ 
ing it, and to protect us from danger of 
various kinds through the sense of smell. The 
irregularities of the inner surface of the nose, 
produced by the turbinate bones, create a 
larger area of mucous membrane over which 
the air passes, thus enabling it to be more thor¬ 
oughly warmed and moistened by the blood 
flowing through the vessels in the membrane. 
The air is filtered by the hairs, and the cilia and 
much dust is also caught by the mucus on the 
membranes. The cilia have a brushing move¬ 
ment toward the entrance of the nose which 
aids the flow of mucus in that direction so that 
foreign matter can he more quickly washed 
out. 


12 




Parts Affected 


THE PHARYNX 

Behind and partly below the inner part of 
the nose is the pharynx, which is commonly 
referred to as the throat. The upper part, 
which is above the roof of the mouth, is called 
the naso-pharynx; the part immediately be- 



Section of the upper air passages to the lower part of the 
trachea, showing the relation of the parts of the respiratory 
tract, including the mouth. Any portion shown may be 
affected by colds or catarrh. 


13 










Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


hind the mouth is called the oral portion; and 
that below this, the laryngeal portion. On 
the lateral walls of the naso-pharynx are 
found two openings, one on each side, which 
lead through the Eustachian tubes to the in¬ 
ternal part of the ears. Catarrh or colds 
affecting the throat may extend through these 
tubes to the middle ear or even to the mastoid 
bone (behind the ear) producing the much 
dreaded mastoiditis. 

The anterior part of the naso-pharynx opens 
into the nasal fossa? through the posterior 
nares. On the back wall of the naso-pharynx, 
between the two Eustachian tubes, is a mass 
of lymphoid tissue called the pharyngeal ton¬ 
sil. It is here that the well known adenoids 
frequently develop in cases of chronic catarrh. 
The oral part of the pharynx is continuous 
forward into the mouth and the laryngeal part 
continues downward into the larynx and 
esophagus. Between the pharynx and the 
mouth, one on each side in depressions called 
the fauces, are found the more generally 
known or palatine tonsils. All these parts, 
including the mouth, also are lined with mu- 
14 



Parts Affected 


cous membrane and may be affected by colds 
or catarrh. 

The chief function of the pharynx is to 
serve as a passageway for air between the nose 
and larynx, or of food between the mouth and 
esophagus. The lymphoid tissue and the ton¬ 
sils, however, aid in elimination by filtering 
the lymph which passes through them and thus 
removing foreign matter, and by producing 
cells called phagocytes which destroy micro¬ 
organisms. 

THE LARYNX 

The larynx is the essential organ of voice, 
as it contains the vocal cords; but it also serves 
as a passageway for air and has considerable 
to do with the production of a cough. It is 
a box-like structure of cartilage and muscle, 
situated below the pharynx and in front of 
the esophagus. Food must pass over the 
larynx in going from the mouth to and through 
the esophagus to the stomach. The larynx is 
covered with a cartilaginous lid called the epi¬ 
glottis. This lid is open when we breathe but 
is closed when we swallow, thus helping to 
15 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


keep food from entering the larynx while it is 
passing on its way to the stomach, which ac¬ 
cident would be productive of choking, and, 
incidentally, in mild degree is a frequent cause 
of some coughs. The muscles of the larynx 
move both it and the vocal cords within it. 
By moving and varying the length of the vocal 
cords various sounds may be produced and the 
amount of air entering or leaving the bronchi 
may be regulated. This air regulation is im¬ 
portant in the production of a cough, as will 
be explained more fully in a later chapter. 

The larynx is lined with mucous membrane 
the same as are the pharynx, nose, and mouth. 
When colds or catarrh develop in the larynx 
there is hoarseness, or the voice may be entirely 
lost for a time, because the inflammation and 
swelling interfere with the action of the vocal 
cords. 


THE BRONCHI 

Just below the larynx will be found the 
trachea or windpipe, which divides into two 
parts at about the level of the fifth thoracic 
vertebra, these parts being known as the bron¬ 
chi. The trachea and bronchi are tubes for 
16 




Parts Affected 


the passage of air, the walls of which contain 
C-shaped cartilages. The open ends of the 
cartilages are toward the rear and are con- 



Showing the respiratory passage from the pharynx to the 
branching of the bronchi into bronchias. The bronchias 
continue branching like the branchings of a root, becom¬ 
ing progressively smaller until they end in the air vesicles. 
Colds or catarrh may affect any portion of the tract, 
though colds are more pronounced in the upper region, 
and cough usually is due to irritation of the upper 
passage. 


17 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


nected by small muscles. When the muscles 
contract the ends of the cartilages are drawn 
together, thus reducing the size of the tubes. 
This contraction helps to force foreign matter 
or mucus out of the tubes into the throat where 
it can be eliminated. This phenomenon is ob¬ 
served in coughing. The trachea and bronchi 
are lined with ciliated mucous membrane, 
which is a further protection, the cilia acting 
in the same way as they do in the nose. 

The bronchi on entering the lungs further 
divide and subdivide, much like the branches 
and twigs of a tree, but inverted, until they 
end in very thin-walled pouches called air cells. 
It is through the walls of the air cells that the 
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs 
in breathing. Thus the bronchial tubes and 
air cells form the working tissue of the lungs. 
All these parts are lined with mucous mem¬ 
brane, which is continuous from the nose and 
mouth to the air cells. 

THE LUNGS 

The lungs as a whole are composed of the 
bronchial tubes, air cells, blood-vessels, and 
nerves, with a supporting structure of connec- 
18 



Parts Affected 


tive tissue. One lung is developed about the 
right bronchus and the other about the left 
bronchus. The right lung is the larger, hav¬ 
ing three lobes or sections; the left lung con¬ 
tains only two, as more room on that side of 



LUNGS 

Showing the lower end of the air passage, the trachea, with 
its bronchial branchings as these enter the lung, and the 
relation of the bronchi to the heart and blood-vessels of the 
chest. 

the chest is needed to accommodate the heart. 
Each lobe is made up of a number of lobules, 
which are clusters of air cells with their at¬ 
tached bronchioles (small bronchial tubes). 

The lungs are covered on the outside with 
a double serous membrane, called the pleura, 
one layer being closely attached to the lungs 
and the other to the chest walls. A thin film 
19 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


of serous fluid between the two parts of the 
pleura takes up the friction produced by the 
motions of the lungs in breathing. Reduction 
of this fluid, allowing the two portions of the 
pleura to come into direct contact, is the cause 
of the pain in pleurisy. 

The function of the lungs is to absorb oxy¬ 
gen from the air, to be used in all the bodily 
processes, and to eliminate carbon dioxide, 
which is a by-product of tissue metabolism. 
Small amounts of organic matter also are elim¬ 
inated. Thus it will be seen that the lungs 
both feed and purify the body, and are very 
vital organs. To keep them in good condition 
and free from colds, coughs, catarrh, etc., is 
essential to health and life. 

Having now a general picture of the respira¬ 
tory tract (nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, 
bronchi, and lungs) in mind, we will consider 
in more detail the structure and function of 
the lining membrane. 

THE MUCOUS MEMBRANES 

The mucous membranes are a soft velvety 
tissue composed of a basement (foundation or 
supporting) membrane, beneath which is a 
20 



Parts Affected 


layer (called the corium) of blood-vessels, 
lymphatics, nerves, and muscle fibers held to¬ 
gether with connective tissue, and above which 
is a layer of epithelial cells. These cells, in 
addition to their thin and delicate walls, are 
composed largely of mucin (a special form 
of protein) in combination with other proteins 
and water. There are also many glands in 
the mucous membranes. These are small 
tubes formed by an involution or folding in¬ 
ward of the membrane, and which open onto 
its surface. They are mostly mucous glands, 
but there are also some serous glands, and in 
the digestive tract there is a number of differ¬ 
ent kinds of specialized glands which have to 
do with digestion. 

The membrane is nourished by the blood and 
lymph flowing through the corium, and these 
fluids also furnish the materials for secretion 
and excretion by the epithelial cells and the 
glands. The nerves in the corium receive sen¬ 
sations from the environment and activate the 
minute muscle fibers and the glands of the 
membrane. Some of these nerves are instru¬ 
mental in producing the cough and sneeze, 
which will be explained later. Others control 
21 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 

the character and amount of the secretions and 
excretions. 

The functions of the epithelial cells are to 
secrete, excrete, and absorb; and the functions 
of the membranes as a whole are to cover and 
protect. The skin is the covering and protec¬ 
tion of the outer surface of the body, while 
the mucous membrane is the covering and pro¬ 
tection of the exposed surfaces of the internal 
parts of the body. It might be called the in¬ 
ternal skin, as it is in reality a special form of 
skin. 

The function of the glands found in the 
mucous membrane is, of course, to secrete the 
fluid for which they were designed. The mu¬ 
cous glands secrete mucus; the serous glands, 
serum; and the glands in the digestive tract, 
digestive juices of various kinds. The mu¬ 
cous glands are common to all mucous mem¬ 
branes, while the others are found only in 
certain parts. We are chiefly interested in the 
mucous and serous glands, as they are the ones 
that are most active during colds and catarrh. 

Mucus is a pale, semi-transparent, alkaline 
fluid, containing white blood-cells and epithe¬ 
lial cells. Chemically, it is composed of water, 
22 





Parts Affected 


mineral salts, and mucin. It is the mucin 
which makes the secretion viscid. The mucus 
varies somewhat in consistency and composi¬ 
tion in different locations, as it always is es¬ 
pecially adapted to the needs of the part where 
it is secreted. The chief varieties are nasal, 
bronchial, vaginal, urinary, and gastrointes¬ 
tinal. 

The function of the mucus is to protect the 
membranes; to keep them moist, soft, and 
flexible; and to aid in catching and then wash¬ 
ing out any dirt or other foreign matter which 
may reach them. The serous glands of the 
mucous membranes are mostly in the nose. 
They secrete a thin, watery fluid which is prac¬ 
tically analogous to lymph, the fluid part of 
the blood. The function is similar to that of 
mucus, but it is employed more in abnormal 
than normal conditions in this location. Most 
of the serous glands are located in the serous, 
rather than the mucous, membranes. (Serous 
membranes for the most part line cavities and 
cover organs truly within the body—that are 
not directly nor indirectly in contact with the 
outside air.) 

Under normal circumstances the mucous 


23 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


membranes do not excrete, at least to any ap¬ 
preciable amount, except in the lungs where 
they play a limited part in the elimination of 
carbon dioxide. Under abnormal conditions, 
however, when it is necessary to increase the 
elimination from the body they may excrete 
profusely. This is done by the epithelial cells, 
which pass the poisons which have been 
brought by the blood and lymph to the corium 
into the mucus and then onto the surface of 
the membranes where it can reach the outside 
of the body. The flow of mucus often is 
greatly increased, and the amount of fluid is 
further augmented by extra serum from the 
serous glands in order to dispose of more 
toxins. The mucus may become greatly thick¬ 
ened by the addition of many white blood- 
cells which have been destroyed in fighting 
bacteria, by the toxins themselves, and other 
debris. Sometimes the mucus becomes so 
thickened and foul with poisons that it is very 
disagreeable to every sense. 

The absorbing power of the mucous mem¬ 
branes is rather limited except in the digestive 
tract where it is especially designed for that 
purpose. The mucous membranes of the nose 

24 




Parts Affected 


and throat, however, are capable of absorbing 
various chemicals, and of the lungs, various 
gases and chemicals. Thus nicotine may be 
absorbed by taking snuff or breathing tobacco 
smoke. The temporary (and harmful) relief 
from the use of catarrhal medicines which con¬ 
tain opiates results from their absorption. 
Drug addicts often take cocaine by snuffing it 
up the nose. Poisonous gases of all kinds, on 
entering the lungs, will be absorbed by the 
mucous membranes the same as oxygen is nor¬ 
mally absorbed from the air. Under normal 
circumstances the membranes will not absorb 
a substance not in gaseous form or in solution; 
but if the membranes become weakened and 
they are not properly protected by the mucus 
they may allow substances only partly in solu¬ 
tion to pass through. It is in this way that the 
pollen protein gains entrance to the body and 
ultimately produces hay-fever in those who are 
otherwise susceptible. 

It might appear from these facts that the 
mucous membranes do not live up to their 
function of protection; but they are not de¬ 
signed to protect against all dangers, and it 
is only when other protective agencies have 
25 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


been broken down that such poisons ever reach 
the parts where they can be absorbed, at least 
in sufficient quantities to do any noticeable 
harm. 

Colds and catarrh occur most often in the 
nose, throat, or bronchial tubes, and these 
parts are protected in many ways besides 
those provided by the mucous membranes 
themselves. There are the stiff hairs around 
the margins of the nostrils which help to filter 
dirt out of the air. There is the sense of smell 
which warns us of many dangerous substances, 
including poisonous gases and foul breath. 
Other nerves in the membranes are irritated 
by dust, gases, chemicals, etc., and cause us to 
sneeze. The sneeze is nothing but a violent 
expiration for the purpose of blowing out such 
foreign matter. For this reason one should 
always sneeze through the nose. If such for¬ 
eign matter gets into the throat or bronchial 
tubes a cough is produced to eliminate it. 

The cough is a spasmodic contraction of the 
walls of these parts, together with a violent 
explosive expiration. Much of the mucous 
membrane lining the respiratory passages is 
ciliated. These fine, hair-like projections 
26 




Parts Affected 


have a continual brushing movement toward 
the outer entrance of the air passages, and in 
conjunction with the flow of mucus, which is 
also assisted by the cilia, act somewhat like 
scrubbing with a brush and water and make 
the respiratory tract practically self-cleansing. 
The tonsils, as has been mentioned, secrete 
phagocytes (bactericidal blood-cells) which 
overcome most bacteria which may try to enter. 

From the foregoing it will be seen that these 
parts are well protected in many ways. Yet 
colds and catarrh will occur frequently. Why 
is this? Because they come from the inside 
rather than the outside, and because outside 
factors can become operative only when the 
normal protective agencies have been put out 
of action by the poisons from the inside. 

Where do the inside poisons come from? 
They develop as a result of impaired metabo¬ 
lism which is due to wrong habits of living— 
improper diet, lack of exercise, impure air, 
etc. These will be discussed more fully in the 
chapter on causes. The ordinary organs of 
elimination—the kidneys, lungs, skin, and 
bowels—can take care of all ordinary and 
many extraordinary toxins which may be de- 
27 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


veloped in the body; but they have their 
limits, and when much extra elimination is re¬ 
quired other organs must be called upon to 
assist. Generally the first ones to come to the 
rescue are the mucous membranes. By pro¬ 
ducing an extra flow of mucus and serum they 
flush out at least much of the extra impurities. 
When this is done suddenly and violently we 
have a cold, when slowly and moderately we 
have catarrh. Coughing and sneezing help 
to cleanse the excess mucus from the parts. 

If the accumulated impurities have affected 
the stomach or some other organ, or have pro¬ 
duced a catarrh in other parts, a cough may 
be produced reflexly. A reflex action is 
brought about as follows: A stimulation of 
some sort is received by a nerve-ending and 
that nerve carries it to a center in the brain 
or spinal cord where it is recognized, inter¬ 
preted, and referred to a motor center, which 
sends a command for action over a motor nerve 
to the point of irritation or a related point. 
If the irritation is in the throat, the sensation 
travels to the spinal cord where it is trans¬ 
ferred to the motor center, which sends a 
message to the muscles of the throat and chest 
28 




Parts Affected 


so that they produce a cough, which in turn 
removes the irritation. However, all the 
nerves in the body are more or less connected, 
so that irritation of a stomach nerve may 
travel to the motor center which produces the 
cough. The majority of coughs, however, are 
produced by irritation in the throat or bron¬ 
chial tubes. Coughing cannot be originated 
from the alveolar (air cells) walls. 

The other parts of the body which are lined 
with mucous membrane, such as the genito¬ 
urinary canal, the digestive tract, the eye-lids, 
etc., also are subject to the same symptoms as 
occur in colds and catarrh of the respiratory 
tract. While these conditions are not called 
colds, they are produced by the same causes, 
manifest the same increased and abnormal flow 
of mucus, and respond to the same treatment. 
These parts may be affected after the nose, 
throat, or bronchi if the causes are not removed, 
as the body uses a greater and greater expanse 
of mucous membrane to aid in elimination. 
They may also be affected before the nose, 
throat, or bronchi is affected, if there is some 
particular abuse or local irritation of the organ 
in question. The various complications which 
29 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


may follow colds, coughs, and catarrh if they 
are neglected or improperly treated will be 
discussed in detail in a later chapter. 


30 



CHAPTER III 


Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 

I F the orthodox healing profession would 
give more attention to the ultimate causes 
of disease and less to symptoms, diagnosis and 
treatment they would be doing a much greater 
work than they are at present. Symptoms 
should not be confounded with causes. For 
instance, germs are more of a symptom than 
a cause of disease; similarly enlarged turbi¬ 
nates are a symptom and not a cause of ca¬ 
tarrh. There is nothing of more importance 
to know about a disease than its ultimate 
causes. When these are known the disease 
may be avoided, or if it already has developed 
it may be checked and in many cases cured 
merely by removing the causes. On the other 
hand, if the causes are not known, and hence 
are not removed, we may treat until doomsday 
and the condition still will persist. Even if 
the disease could be remedied by treatment 
31 


Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


alone, if the causes were not known and re¬ 
moved the same or some other manifestation 
of abnormal conditions would return. Like 
causes produce like effects. This chapter is, 
then, in many ways the most important chap¬ 
ter in this book. 

Of the three conditions—colds, coughs, and 
catarrh—the cold is usually the first one to 
develop, so w$ will first consider causes in 
relation to it. 


CAUSES OF COLDS 

If you were to ask the question, “What 
causes a cold?” the answer from the majority 
of people would be “We catch cold from ex¬ 
posure.” This statement is worth some study, 
as it is a splendid example of our tendency to 
judge from appearances, and shows how little 
of the true nature of disease generally is 
known. 

In the first place we do not “catch” cold— 
except possibly at the table! Which reminds 
me of that very apt advice that the best exercise 
for preventing a cold is to place both hands on 
the table and push back. A cold is not an acci¬ 
dent, an “act of God” or the “devil,” but is 

32 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catatuui 


developed by the body because the cold is 
needed . It is an eliminative measure produced 
to relieve the body of an excess of toxins. It 
actually is beneficial if properly cared for. 
This may seem strange to many who are in 
the practice, as soon as they exhibit signs of 
a cold, of immediately taking steps to “stop” 
it. If the steps they take are to remove causes 
—well and good; but if they merely try to 
suppress symptoms—wrong, all wrong! 

The symptoms should not be suppressed, as 
they are the means the body takes to bring 
about that elimination which is so necessary to 
remove the accumulation of poisons from the 
body. This has been explained in the chapter 
on “Correlation.” If the symptoms help to 
remove the real disease and are, therefore, 
beneficial, one might reasonably ask why we 
should treat the disease at all. Why not just 
let it run its course? As a matter of fact, 
treatment of an acute condition like a cold 
not always is necessary provided the causes 
are removed . This is the important point. 
However, it always is well to use treatment, 
since it helps the body more quickly to restore 
normal conditions. Moreover, natural treat- 
33 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


ment consists to a large extent in removing 
causes, that is, in correcting the habits of liv¬ 
ing; but there are also many measures, fasting, 
for instance, which actually help the body in 
its work of purification. 

We have seen that a cold is not “caught,” 
but there still is the exposure to be considered. 
Does not exposure play some part? There 
is no denying that colds often do follow ex¬ 
posure. In fact, this probably is the origin of 
the name “cold.” Back in past ages someone 
noticed that certain symptoms often followed 
exposure to cold with its accompanying un¬ 
pleasant chilly feelings, so they dubbed the 
symptoms a “cold.” But in spite of the name 
and its origin a careful study of the conditions 
will show that the exposure is not the primary 
cause of the trouble. Exposure not always is 
followed by a cold. 

The truth of the matter is that practically 
all diseases have both predisposing and excit¬ 
ing causes. Predisposing causes are those 
which produce conditions in the body favorable 
to the development of a disease; exciting 
causes are those which precipitate the trouble 
and which have something to do with deter- 




Causes of Colds,, Coughs and Catarrh 


mining the character of the symptoms that oc¬ 
cur. Predisposing causes always are neces¬ 
sary to disease, but exciting causes are not; 
disease often develops without any particular 
exciting cause. While colds often follow ex¬ 
posure, at other times they develop without any 
immediately apparent reason and the patient 
cannot understand why he should have one. 
Exposure, then, is only an exciting cause and 
as such is not of primary importance. 

The various bugaboos such as wet feet, 
drafts, changes in the weather, changes of 
underwear, etc., all should be relegated to their 
proper places as mere exciting causes. If one 
is in a condition to develop a cold, wet feet may 
interfere sufficiently with the circulation to 
start it; but even then if the wet feet are warm 
their wetness probably would have no unto¬ 
ward effect. The same applies to drafts. 
When we are outdoors we are subjected to 
drafts from all directions, particularly when 
the wind is blowing, but we think nothing of 
them. Why, then, should we fear drafts in¬ 
doors or consider them a cause of disease? 
Even if the draft is a cold one and produces 
a congestion of blood in some local part it will 
35 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


not give rise to a cold unless the body is in a 
toxic condition, and if the body is thoroughly 
warm it will have no effect anyhow. The main¬ 
tenance of warmth is much more important 
than is the avoidance of drafts. 

Even so, changes of weather or underwear 
should have no effect, as the body has a special 
heat-regulating mechanism which has a won¬ 
derful power of adapting the body to changes 
in temperature so that it takes considerable 
and prolonged exposure to injure the healthy 
body. Observe that I say the healthy body. 
This is the main point. In a body which al¬ 
ready is unhealthy and where the resistance is 
low, even slight exposure may be sufficient to 
precipitate a cold. 

From the popular superstition in regard to 
exposure one might assume that the body was 
designed to go about in cotton batting; but as 
a matter of fact the more one accustoms him¬ 
self to changes in temperature and to expos¬ 
ure the less likely will he be to develop a cold. 
Many a thoughtless person has been led to 
contribute to charity because of seeing the chil¬ 
dren of the poor going about inadequately 
clad in severe weather. Yet these very chil- 

36 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


dren frequently are less subject to colds than 
the children of the rich. In the first place, 
they are not overfed; secondly, they are more 
muscularly active; and third, they have not 
been enervated by coddling but have developed 
resistance through hardship and exposure. 
Colds are the result of too much heat, but heat 
within the body—in the blood. Exposure has 
a tendency to reduce this to normal. 

Do not think, however, that I am advising 
indiscriminate and prolonged exposure. Such 
would have a bad effect even on a healthy 
person. Prolonged cold inhibits all the func¬ 
tions of the body so that nothing works just 
right, elimination being particularly affected, 
with the result that toxemia is bound to de¬ 
velop or increase. Then the unequal circula¬ 
tion which results from prolonged exposure 
will cause a congestion of blood in certain parts 
and inflammation may develop in those parts 
as an eliminative measure, because where 
there is congestion tissue wastes are not prop¬ 
erly removed. Very localized exposure, as of 
the neck to a slender draft, may cause such 
marked local contraction of tissues, especially 
spinal tissues, as to interfere with the internal 
37 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


nerve and blood supply and function as to 
incite a cold. This is possible only when there 
is susceptibility from toxemia, inactivity, slug¬ 
gish circulation, etc. Furthermore, the pro¬ 
longed cold will force the bodj^ to expend large 
amounts of energy in an effort to maintain 
normal temperature and thus will lower re¬ 
sistance, especially if the exposure is coupled 
with deficient nutrition. So, prolonged expos¬ 
ure may be a predisposing as well as an excit¬ 
ing cause; but it should not be given undue 
importance, because in these days of civiliza¬ 
tion it is seldom that one will be subjected to 
such an experience. Far more colds are de¬ 
veloped these days from overheating and over¬ 
clothing in combination with improper diet 
than from exposure. 

Another supposed cause of colds which has 
become very popular of late is germs. There 
is even less reason for this belief than there 
is for the hoodoo of exposure. There is no 
doubt that germs are found in the excretions 
produced during a cold, but so are they found 
in any refuse. Their mission is to reduce the 
waste matter to elementary substances that 
can be used again in some way in the various 
38 



Causes of Colds,, Coughs and Catarrh 


processes of Nature, either inside or outside 
the body. Falien leaves decay and become fer¬ 
tilizer for the living trees. Buried bodies de¬ 
cay from bacterial action and ultimately are 
returned to the elements from which they were 
built. So germs are a result of the causes of 
the cold and not a cause in themselves. 

Certain types of germs may find food and 
space for development in the abnormal mucus 
accumulated in the respiratory passages dur¬ 
ing a cold, with the result that with the addi¬ 
tion of the toxins of the life processes of the 
germs, the cold symptoms become influenza, 
pneumonia, whooping cough, or diphtheria 
symptoms; and while the germs here may be 
the cause of the change in symptoms they are 
not the original cause of the trouble. As far 
as colds, coughs, and catarrh are concerned 
germs may be completely discounted when the 
abnormalities are properly and promptly 
treated—or better yet, prevented by right 
living. 

It always is well to avoid exciting causes, 
such as have just been discussed, as it is 
useless to run unnecessary chances; but they 
should not he allowed to monopolize the atten- 

39 



Colds, Coughs and Catakkh 


tion so that the importance of the predisposing 
causes is obscured, nor should they be allowed 
to become objects of fear so that their avoid¬ 
ance develops into an obsession. 

The predisposing or actual causes of colds 
consist of anything which interferes with nor¬ 
mal bodily function. Among these are im¬ 
proper diet; lack of fresh air, exercise, bathing, 
and sleep; overclothing; overheating of houses; 
destructive emotions or thoughts; bad habits 
of any kind; vaccination and inoculation. 

Of all the possible errors in diet, the one most 
likely to bring about a cold is overeating. 
Overeating wastes energy by calling for extra 
efforts toward digestion and elimination, and 
thus reduces vitality, which brings about a 
slowing down of all the functions of the body. 
Overeating clogs the alimentary tract with de¬ 
caying masses of unassimilated food which 
give off a great variety of toxins and poison 
the entire body. Overeating thickens the 
blood stream with these same toxins so that it 
cannot properly circulate, and this brings 
about congestion and inflammation, particu¬ 
larly in those parts of the body which are not 
especially active muscularly. Overeating 
40 




Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


tends to produce obesity and fatty degenera¬ 
tion, with resulting diminution of organic 
tissue and function throughout the body. One 
cannot overeat for any length of time without 
developing that enervation and toxemia which 
underlie every cold. 

The dietetic error next most likely to pro¬ 
duce a cold is the excessive use of starch and 
sugar, particularly the refined varieties. One 
may not be taking too much total food; but if 
too much of this total is starch and sugar, 
acid fermentation will result, producing a low¬ 
ered alkalinity of the fluids and tissues of the 
body, which is very conducive to a cold. Then 
when large amounts of these foods are used 
one is inclined to use too little of the so-called 
“protective” foods, such as fruits and green 
vegetables. Refined starch, as is found in 
white bread, pastries, and degerminated 
cereals, and refined sugar, as is found in a 
great many different foods but particularly in 
desserts, beverages, and candy, are lacking in 
organic salts and vitamines; and when these 
substances are not supplied in the food the 
blood leaches them from the tissues in order 
to maintain the bodily processes. This soon 
41 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


undermines the entire constitution. Another 
bad effect of the overuse of these foods is that 
so much oxygen is used in metabolizing them 
that there is not enough for taking care of other 
food elements and tissue wastes. 

Other dietetic errors which predispose to 
colds are the use of spices and condiments, 
smoked and pickled foods, all of which irri¬ 
tate the stomach and incline one to overeat; 
too much meat and gravy, producing hyper¬ 
acidity; the use of tea and coffee—both poi¬ 
sons; lack of mastication; eating without an 
appetite; eating when mentally disturbed or 
physically fatigued; and improper combina¬ 
tions of foods. In fact, any form of improper 
diet will tend to produce disease, and especially 
that common safety valve, the cold. 

Another very prolific cause of colds is lack 
of fresh air. Fresh air is air liberally sup¬ 
plied with oxygen and contaminated with the 
least possible amount of deleterious substances. 
Oxygen enters into all the tissues of the body 
and is necessary to all its functions. Any lack 
will be reflected in lack of tissue or function, 
or both. Under-oxygenation means that low¬ 
ered alkalinity soon will result and something 

42 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


will have to be done to bring about the elimi¬ 
nation of the excessive acid. This something 
is very likely to be a cold. Fresh air is ab¬ 
solutely necessary in keeping the respiratory 
passages in good condition. The air should 
not be fresh only, but clean. Dusty air clogs 
the respiratory passages and irritates the mu¬ 
cous membranes. 

The majority of people get far too little 
fresh air, except possibly in the summer time, 
and this is the period when there are fewer 
colds. People who live in cities are particu¬ 
larly prone to be satisfied with a minimum of 
fresh and pure air. They keep their windows 
closed to exclude the dust, the noise, or the 
cold, and in so doing also exclude the air. 
They may open their windows a little at night; 
but when the rest of their day is spent in con¬ 
fined rooms, dusty streets and subways, and 
a generally tobacco-polluted atmosphere, this 
is scarcely sufficient to be of any marked bene¬ 
fit. Many even keep their windows closed at 
night in cold weather. Persons who live in 
cities should keep their windows wide open at 
night, for the air is purer then, and open as 
much as possible during the day. They also 
43 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


should spend as much time as they can in the 
parks and on the water, if such conveniences 
are to be had. Those who live in small towns 
or in the country are more fortunate, as pure 
fresh air is readily available; but these are very 
often the ones who are the most careless about 
securing it. They think if they live in the 
country they are bound to be healthy whether 
they take advantage of its benefits or not. 

If one is sure to have plenty of fresh air at 
all times it will make up for many dietetic and 
other deficiencies, though, of course, this is no 
excuse for willfully indulging in bad habits. 
People who work outdoors and keep their win¬ 
dows open at night very seldom have colds, 
unless they are gormandizers, and constipated. 

The same applies to those who take plenty 
of exercise. But if exercise is lacking there 
is bound to be frequent necessity for vicarious 
elimination. 1STo part of the body can function 
at its best unless general exercise is used. It 
is needed to promote deep breathing, to equal¬ 
ize and accelerate the circulation, to improve 
digestion* and to increase elimination. Energy 
is needed to exercise, and something must be 
burned in the body to produce that energy. 

44 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


In so far as is possible this will be waste mat¬ 
ter and the more one exercises, within his 
strength, the less waste will there be in the 
body. To be sure, exercise itself breaks down 
considerable tissue, and this will have to be 
eliminated; but this is readily accomplished 
through the increased lung and skin activity 
induced by the exercise. If one never uses his 
muscles unless absolutely necessary, his whole 
organism will become stagnant. Impurities 
will accumulate, and unless a cold or some 
other form of extra elimination comes to the 
rescue the body gradually will disintegrate 
until some chronic disease removes the individ¬ 
ual from the land of the living. 

There are those who claim that through his 
evolution man now has accustomed himself to 
a life in which exercise has but a small part. 
Some even go as far as to prophesy that the 
time will come when man will be chiefly if not 
entirely mind. While there may be some rea¬ 
son for anticipating this, the fact remains that 
man at present is endowed with a body made 
up largely of muscles and muscular organs; 
and such being the case it is only natural to 
assume that they are intended for use and 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


that unless they are used they will deteriorate, 
to the detriment of the individual. This is 
borne out by a comparison between those who 
take regular exercise and those who do not. 
The former are strong, forceful, healthy, and 
successful; the latter are weak, retiring, sickly, 
and failures. When one has a cold his nose 
“runs”; but if the patient himself would do 
more actual running and other exercises there 
would be less reason for his nose to indulge 
in such athletics. 

The fact that a cold is a cleansing effort on 
the part of the body would seem to indicate 
that lack of cleansing would be a cause of the 
abnormality. Such, indeed, is the case. Lack 
of internal cleansing is the chief cause; but 
lack of external cleansing also has an effect, 
because the skin is an important eliminating 
organ and unless it is kept clean and in good 
working order other eliminating organs will 
have part of its work to do. Most people 
would resent the imputation that they do not 
keep themselves clean; but it is an undeniable 
fact that the majority still limit themselves 
to the Saturday night bath, and this is not 
enough under our present methods of living, 
46 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


feeding, and clothing the body. Moreover, the 
soap and warm water cleansing bath is not the 
only thing required to keep the skin in good 
working order. It must have air and sunlight, 
and dry friction also is of much value. Cold 
water is the natural bathing medium and 
should be used regularly and liberally. When 
these things are not done the skin becomes 
either dry and harsh or greasy and pimply, 
according to the nature and dietetic habits of 
the individual; and these are sure signs that 
the body is filled with impurities and that elimi¬ 
nation is deficient, for the body needs, even 
though it seems to be much in excess of that 
noticeable in others. 

The close relation between the skin and mu¬ 
cous membranes was explained in our discus¬ 
sion of the structure and function of the parts 
affected by colds; and when the skin is in such 
shape as described above the mucous mem¬ 
branes are bound to be abnormal, for what 
affects one will affect the other. With a toxic 
condition of the entire body and defective 
elimination from an inactive skin and mucous 
membranes it is only natural for a cold to de¬ 
velop sooner or later. 

47 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


But even the most perfect active life will not 
compensate for loss of rest and sleep. We 
may eat right, exercise regularly and properly, 
breathe deeply of fresh air, and observe care 
in all our habits of living during the day; but 
if we do not relax and sleep enough to allow 
the body time enough to recuperate from the 
day’s exertions we will be burning the candle 
at both ends and will some day awake to the 
painful realization that we have about reached 
the middle going both ways. 

Sleep is a natural restorative. The body is 
self-cleansing and self-healing and even when 
greatly abused it will normalize itself if given 
the opportunity. It is during sleep that it has 
the best chance to do this. Then all voluntary 
effort is suspended, all fear thoughts and de¬ 
structive emotions are at least quiescent, and 
the life force within the organism has free and 
undisturbed sway and can right all the wrongs 
in the body. If it were possible for a person 
to sleep several days uninterruptedly he would 
find that most of his ills would disappear in 
that time. Of course, such sleeping would in¬ 
clude fasting, as no food would be taken. It 

48 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catakrh 


also presupposes warmth, fresh air, and re¬ 
laxation. 

The last three things are as important in 
our regular sleeping as they would be in any 
“therapeutic” sleeping. It is not only the loss 
of sleep that predisposes to colds and other 
diseases but the loss of the fresh air and re¬ 
laxation that should go with it. Of course, 
some people are foolish enough to shut out the 
fresh air even when asleep, and many do not 
appreciate the necessity for relaxation. Ten¬ 
sion in the body interferes with circulation and 
hence with every function, for the whole or¬ 
ganism depends on a good supply of pure 
blood. Interferences with circulation are es¬ 
pecially prone to produce colds, because where 
there is congestion there very soon will be in¬ 
flammation unless the blood and tissues are 
unusually pure. Lack of sleep and relaxa¬ 
tion, then, can be placed well to the fore as 
predisposing causes of colds. 

The tendency of overheating of houses and 
overclothing of the body to cause colds de¬ 
pends on a number of factors. An overheated 
room usually is one which is filled with stale 
air. It probably would be possible, if plenty 
49 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


of fuel were used, to have a room too hot and 
at the same time well ventilated; but this never 
occurs in actual experience. A room which is 
tightlv closed to retain the heat is not fit to 
stay in for any length of time, and if, also, 
the temperature is too high it is doubly in¬ 
jurious. The excessive heat has a drying 
effect on the mucous membranes of the respira¬ 
tory passages which renders them incapable of 
performing their functions properly. A cold 
may be produced in this case as a reaction, in 
order to supply extra mucus and serum to keep 
the membranes moist. 

Another bad effect of the excessive heat is 
that it enervates the entire body. It acts as 
a sedative so that one feels sluggish and lazy 
and his organs work in the same manner. Di¬ 
gestion, assimilation, circulation, and elimina¬ 
tion all slow down; and it does not take long 
under these circumstances to develop a toxic 
state of the body, especially since an improper 
diet usually is a factor, also. The temperature 
of a room should not be over 68 degrees Fah¬ 
renheit, and even less would be better. 

The same enervating effect is produced by 
overclothing the body. The constant warmth 
50 




Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


stimulates perspiration; but the excessive cloth¬ 
ing prevents its being removed from the skin, 
so that one actually “stews” in stale perspira¬ 
tion. This soon ruins skin action. The 
constant protection of the skin weakens re¬ 
sistance so that the least breath of cooler air 
will produce congestion and in most cases a 
cold, since the body already is in a position to 
develop one. 

The importance of air to the skin has been 
mentioned. It is manifest that when the body 
is kept swathed in heavy clothing the air can¬ 
not reach it, and one suffers the same as though 
the lungs had been deprived of air, though to 
a lesser extent. Excessive clothing also inter¬ 
feres with circulation, both because of pressure 
from the weight and because of constant dila¬ 
tion of the surface capillaries from the over¬ 
heating. Either too little blood will reach the 
vital organs because too much is in the skin, 
or through a reaction too much may be sent 
to the internal organs and too little reaches 
the skin. In either case congestion of the mu¬ 
cous membranes soon occurs, and this is but 
one step short of a cold. 

Physical factors are not the only ones, how- 
51 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


ever, which predispose to colds. Mental 
factors often play a considerable part. Fear 
of any kind, including worry, self-conscious¬ 
ness, jealousy, etc., inhibit functions of the en¬ 
tire body, much the same as do prolonged cold 
or excessive heat. It is a well known fact 
that when one is suddenly startled both heart 
and lung action are temporarily suspended. 
Fear of a less acute kind but frequent or con¬ 
stant produces the same effects in a chronic 
manner. One who is constantly depressed 
(that is, constantly afraid that something un¬ 
pleasant is going to happen) has no appetite. 
If he eats, his food does not digest properly; 
he gets a headache; he feels disinclined to 
exercise; he loses sleep and becomes nervous; 
in short, he loses vitality and resistance, de¬ 
velops toxemia, and is in a fine condition to 
have a cold or something worse. These same 
effects are produced by constantly thinking 
destructive thoughts, by wishing or planning 
harm to others, and by the mental attitude of 
always expecting the worst to happen. 

A little different effect, but one which pro¬ 
duces the same conditions in the end, is brought 
about by anger. Anger stimulates the body; 

52 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


but it does this by the production of poisons 
and at the expense of a great amount of nerv¬ 
ous energy, so that afterward one is weak, 
exhausted, nervous, and trembling. Frequent 
yielding to temper soon reduces the vitality 
and poisons the body so that a cold is easily 
developed. In fact, one may consider himself 
fortunate if nothing worse is produced. 

The effects of these thoughts and mental at¬ 
titudes are not given the attention they de¬ 
serve. We are inclined to think and feel as 
we please without regard to the effects on us, 
though we sometimes give some attention to 
the effect on others. But we are the ones 
who are most injured by wrong thinking, and 
the sooner we realize it the better. Oppor¬ 
tunities for developing a cold are many, and 
there is no use in adding this one to all the 
others. 

Any habits which waste energy or poison 
the body will help to produce a cold. The tea 
and coffee habits have been mentioned, but 
there remains the candy, alcohol, and tobacco 
habits, the medicine habit, the gossiping habit, 
the bargain sales habit, etc. The tobacco habit 
is a particularly bad one in relation to colds, 
53 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


coughs, and catarrh. Besides poisoning the 
body with nicotine and reducing the vitality, 
it irritates and dries up the mucous mem¬ 
branes of the respiratory tract so that they are 
made very susceptible to disease. The use of 
tobacco is so widespread that it is an important 
factor in the causation of colds and other dis¬ 
eases and deserves vigorous condemnation 
from all who value their health. To one who 
does not use tobacco there is no more disgust¬ 
ing, unpleasant, and filthy habit than that of 
tobacco, and while the user may not realize it, 
it costs him many friends and good times. 
There is nothing that can be said in favor of 
the tobacco habit, and the sooner it is stamped 
out the better for humanity. 

The candy habit is bad because of the ex¬ 
cess of refined sugar, the effects of which have 
been discussed. While the action is different, 
the use of candy is as pernicious as that of 
tobacco. It is hardly necessary to cite the bad 
effects of alcohol, as they are well known. 
Drugs have bad effects, the particular effect 
depending upon the nature of the drugs. 
Gossiping and attending bargain sales waste 
much energy and have bad mental effects. 

54 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


There is another destructive habit that also 
needs special mention. This is sexual abuse 
in one form or another. Many people would 
be horrified if told that they were abusing 
themselves in this manner, yet they perhaps are 
allowing their minds to dwell on sexual mat¬ 
ters more or less continually. Mental sexual 
abuse in some ways is even worse than physical 
abuse. Again, many people through ignorance 
overindulge within the bonds of marriage, feel¬ 
ing that the ceremony takes away all need for 
moderation. Any mental or physical act 
which causes the reproductive organs to be in 
a chronic state of excitement and congestion, 
even though slight, may be considered sexual 
abuse. 

Such abuse may predispose to a cold and 
other worse conditions in a great many ways. 
There is no part of the body that will not be 
adversely affected by it. The nervous system, 
however, is perhaps the chief sufferer, so that 
the vitality soon becomes reduced, causing 
every function of the body to operate in an 
erratic manner. Nervous energy is the power 
that runs the body, and when this is wasted the 
“engine” is bound to slow down. A perfect 

55 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


meal will be imperfectly digested; a good sys¬ 
tem of exercise will produce fatigue instead of 
stimulation; and a normal amount of sleep will 
be insufficient. 

Too much cannot be said against this bad 
habit in any form. It often develops insidi¬ 
ously so that one is in its grip before he real¬ 
izes it. Hence, anyone who values his health 
and who wishes to avoid colds, as well as other 
diseases, would do well to be constantly on 
guard against it. This is especially important 
during adolescence. 

The causes of colds so far discussed are 
easily avoided if one is willing to exercise a 
little restraint and avoid them. There is an¬ 
other possible cause that is not always so easily 
avoided. This is vaccination, and its compan¬ 
ion in iniquity, inoculation. Under certain 
circumstances, especially when there is an epi¬ 
demic, we may be forced by law to submit to 
this form of poisoning, particularly in certain 
states and the larger cities. This is a serious 
state of affairs and the sooner the public 
awakes to the need for stopping it the better; 
but until then these barbarisms will have to 
be recognized as possible causes of colds, if in- 
56 




Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


deed one is so fortunate as to escape a worse 
condition, even death. Such pollution of the 
blood stream strikes at the very root of life, 
and once it is done it takes long hard work to 
undo the mischief. Sometimes it is never com¬ 
pletely undone. 

My purpose in mentioning the subject here 
is to warn you against voluntarily submitting 
to such poisoning, to urge you to fight all laws 
which would enforce such practices, and to ad¬ 
vise you to take prompt steps to purify the 
body if at any time you should be so unfor¬ 
tunate as to have the outrage thrust upon you. 
The usual measures employed for quickly re¬ 
moving the poison from the body consist of 
thorough washing and sterilization of the 
wound, fasting, enemas, the free drinking of 
water, and either cold wet sheet packs or elec¬ 
tric cabinet or other sweat baths. I would 
urge you to protect your children also against 
this menace by every means in your power. 
All too often the frequent colds, adenoids, dis¬ 
eased tonsils, and so-called children’s diseases 
which so frequently afflict school children are 
to be traced to the compulsory vaccination 
which took place at the time they started in 
57 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


school work. Avoid vaccination and all forms 
of inoculation and so-called “immunization,” 
for yourself and your loved ones, as you would 
death itself. 

As the reader probably has discovered by 
this time, colds are not due to any one thing 
such as a draft or being out in the rain. They 
are a gradual development from various wrong 
habits of living, and unless one is careful of 
his habits in every way he never can be sure 
that he will be immune from them. At the 
same time, the things necessary to do in order 
to avoid colds are only the things necessary to 
do in order to be generally healthy, happy, and 
prosperous, so that one need not feel that he is 
going to a lot of extra trouble in keeping him¬ 
self immune from colds. Besides, practice of 
right living gives immunity not only from 
colds, coughs, and catarrh, but from all other 
diseases as well. 

CAUSES OF CATARRH 

We now come to a consideration of the 
causes of catarrh. When it is remembered that 
catarrh is, mostly, a chronic cold it will be 
readily understood that it has its origin in the 

58 



Causes of Colds., Coughs and Catarrh 


same basic causes as have just been enumer¬ 
ated. In some cases it develops gradually 
from these causes, with few or no colds. Such 
cases usually have been making slight errors 
in living here and there over a considerable 
period of time so that there has not been at any 
one time such a large amount of impurities 
on hand as would necessitate an acute elimina¬ 
tive crisis, such as a cold. Occasionally ca¬ 
tarrh may develop because the patient has been 
living so radically wrong that he has not had 
enough energy to bring about a cold. An 
acute condition always requires a greater ex¬ 
penditure of energy than does a chronic condi¬ 
tion, because during the former the eliminative 
functions all are very active. Because of their 
greater all-round activity children are more 
prone to acute conditions, such as colds, while 
older persons incline to chronic conditions, 
such as catarrh. 

In the great majority of cases, however, 
catarrh develops after a series of colds that 
have not received proper attention. Some¬ 
times they are neglected entirely and at other 
times they are suppressed by wrong treatment 
—perhaps intentionally. Drugs suppress the 

59 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


symptoms of a cold but do not remove the 
cause, so that the body must seek other means 
of elimination, with the result that catarrh de¬ 
velops. In this way the poisons are gradually 
eliminated unless one also suppresses the ca¬ 
tarrh with drugs, in which case something 
worse develops. See chapter on “Compli¬ 
cations.” 

Catarrh may he produced even in a fairly 
healthy individual by continual irritation of 
the mucous membranes from breathing air 
filled with dust, lint, poisonous fumes, and 
other foreign matter. These not only irritate 
the membranes but clog the respiratory pas¬ 
sages and interfere with elimination, thus pre¬ 
disposing to inflammation of the mucous 
membranes in two ways. These things may 
be only exciting causes in some cases, but if 
the air is particularly polluted and is breathed 
over long periods of time such an environment 
may he a predisposing and actual cause of 
catarrh. A low vitality always makes local 
irritation more detrimental, but even a high 
vitality will in time feel the effects. 

While such really foreign matter in the air 
may produce catarrh, the same does not apply 
60 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


to an excess of moisture. Moisture is a nor¬ 
mal ingredient of air and while it may be ap¬ 
parently excessive in some localities it still will 
not be a real cause of disease. There is a 
fairly widely distributed belief that a damp 
climate causes catarrh, but such is not the case. 
This idea is in a class with the exposure hypoth¬ 
esis of colds. It may be an exciting cause if 
one is otherwise in a condition to develop ca¬ 
tarrh, but unless one has been interfering with 
the body in some way it will take more than 
a damp climate to produce catarrh. Catarrhal 
cases often find that removal to a moderately 
high dry climate eliminates all or nearly all of 
their symptoms; but this is mostly because 
such a climate is stimulating to the body as a 
whole, so that the elimination is improved and 
catarrh rendered unnecessary. Also, the in¬ 
dividuals in such cases usually see to it that 
they secure more liberal quantities of the salu¬ 
tary air than they have been accustomed to 
secure at home. If they had secured as much 
fresh air at home they probably would never 
have felt the need to go to another climate. 
When a person finds a climate that seems to 
improve his troubles greatly he is inclined to 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


become more careless in his habits of living, 
feeling that the climate will protect him, with 
the result that his old troubles begin to return. 
So climate is neither a cause nor a remedy for 
catarrh. 

Other factors which often are blamed for 
catarrh are nasal deformities and abnormal 
growths. If you have catarrh and consult a 
medical doctor and he finds that you have a 
ieflected septum, nasal spurs, adenoids, polypi, 
or enlarged turbinate bones he will say that 
these are the cause of your catarrh and that 
you need an operation. As a matter of fact 
these conditions are results of catarrh, with 
the exception of the deflected septum and the 
nasal spurs. If a deflected or otherwise de¬ 
formed septum interferes greatly with breath¬ 
ing it may be a contributing cause that should 
be corrected by operation, as this is a develop¬ 
mental defect, and not a disease. But even if 
the operation is performed, it will require 
other factors to bring about a real cure that is 
permanent. But removal of adenoids, polypi, 
or enlarged turbinates will have no effect on 
catarrh except possibly to give some tempo¬ 
rary relief because of easier breathing. Later 
62 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


the condition usually becomes worse because 
the real causes have not been removed and be¬ 
cause some of the functioning tissue has been 
cut out and consequently replaced with scar 
tissue. 

Start where you will, if you reason back to 
first causes you will find that wrong habits of 
living are at the bottom of colds, catarrh, and 
their sequelae, the difference in symptoms be¬ 
ing due largely to the character of the wrong 
habits indulged in and the variations in in¬ 
dividual vitality and heredity; also to the treat¬ 
ment given for colds when they develop. 

CAUSES OF COUGHS 

Coughing may be associated with either 
colds or catarrh, as well as with various other 
abnormal conditions. It is only a symptom, 
but still it has causes the same as everything 
else. It may be produced voluntarily or in¬ 
voluntarily but the fundamental cause in all 
cases is nerve irritation. Generally, if we pro¬ 
duce a cough voluntarily it is because we wish 
to remove some tickling or other unpleasant 
sensation in the throat. This irritation may 
arise in one of four ways—from the presence 

63 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


in the throat of foreign matter, such as dust, 
odors, fish bones, etc.; from excessive mucus; 
from pressure on nerves; and from reflex irri¬ 
tation. 

Coughing may be produced by nothing more 
than changes in temperature of the air passing 
through the respiratory passages, if the mu¬ 
cous membranes of these passages are suffi¬ 
ciently inflamed as a result of a cold or other 
disease manifestation. This is due to the in¬ 
creased sensitiveness of the mucous mem¬ 
branes when they are so affected. On the other 
hand, certain conditions, such as chronic ca¬ 
tarrh, paralysis of the glottis, destruction of 
the vocal cords by ulceration, or general weak¬ 
ness, may lessen the ability to cough, because 
of decreased sensitiveness of the mucous mem¬ 
branes and other interferences with nerve ac¬ 
tion, or perhaps weakness or paralysis of some 
of the muscles concerned in coughing. 

There are all kinds of foreign matter which 
may get into the throat and produce a cough. 
Almost everyone has had such an experience 
at one time or another. The phenomenon is so 
common that an extended discussion of it here 
is not necessary. 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


Coughs caused by excessive mucus usually 
are associated with colds, catarrh, bronchitis, 
asthma, tuberculosis, and related conditions. 
The excessive mucus produces sufficient nerve 
irritation to call for a cough, which in turn 
attempts to remove the offending mucus. 

Coughs due to pressure on nerves may he 
associated with spinal subluxations, tumors, 
goitres, and aneurysm. Spinal subluxations 
usually are present to some extent in most all 
disease, either as a cause or an effect. A cold 
may produce enough congestion and contrac¬ 
tion of the neck muscles to bring about a sub¬ 
luxation, which in turn may produce a cough 
if the cold already has not done so. At other 
times a subluxation may occur as a result of an 
accident and give rise to a cough without a 
cold, catarrh, or other inflammation; or it may 
result from contraction resulting from local¬ 
ized exposure to a draft. A tumor, particu¬ 
larly if it is near the throat, may press on a 
nerve sufficiently to cause a cough. Goitre and 
aneurysm, because of the swelling, may do the 
same thing. Goitre also affects the nerves of 
the body in general and may give rise to a 
cough in this way. 


65 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


The immediate cause of the cough in most 
cases is either direct or indirect stimulation of 
the superior laryngeal nerve, which has its 
endings in the mucous membrane of the 
larynx. However, it may arise from stimula¬ 
tion of any of the endings of the vagus nerve 
which are situated in the respiratory tract. As 
this nerve also sends branches to the heart, 
liver, spleen, and stomach, abnormal condi¬ 
tions in these organs may produce a cough 
reflexly. Through other nerve connections, 
abnormal conditions of the uterus or occa¬ 
sionally cold feet may be enough to produce a 
cough. The mechanism of the reflex action 
already has been explained in the chapter on 
description of “Parts Affected.” 

In any case, however, it will be found that 
the basic causes of all the abnormal conditions 
which may produce a cough, except subluxa¬ 
tions or the presence of foreign matter in the 
throat due to accident, are those same wrong 
habits of living which already have been enu¬ 
merated as causes of colds and catarrh. Thus 
it will be seen that where there is a cough it 
is not so important to discover the exact dis¬ 
ease which is producing it as it is to find out 
66 



Causes of Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


where the living habits are wrong, and to cor¬ 
rect them. Of course, it is well to know the 
exact condition, as some special treatment also 
may be required to aid in removing the effects 
of those improper habits; but right living is 
still the factor which needs the most attention. 

In those cases where a cough is due to get¬ 
ting something accidentally in the throat, the 
cause is so obvious that one does not need to 
seek for it, and its removal is comparatively 
simple. There may be some cases, however, 
where a small object, such as a tooth brush 
bristle, may get into the throat without a per¬ 
son realizing it and a special examination may 
be necessary to locate the trouble. 

The causes of complications of colds, coughs, 
and catarrh will be considered in the chapter 
on “Complications.” These consist mainly of 
neglect and improper treatment. If due at¬ 
tention is given to the causes of the original 
condition, no necessity will arise for seeking 
causes of complications, for these will be pre¬ 
vented from developing, or they will disappear 
with the removal of the cause of the whole 
symptom complex. 


67 



CHAPTER IV 


Symptoms of Colds, Coughs and 
Catarrh 

T HE symptoms of colds are so well known 
that it would seem unnecessary to mention 
them, but as most people are not fully in¬ 
formed as to the “what, how, and why” of 
these symptoms a discussion of them here 
should be worth while. 

We have seen that a cold is an acute elimi¬ 
native crisis developed by the body as a means 
of removing an accumulation of impurities. 
When the bowels, kidneys, lungs, and skin 
have proved unequal to the task of purifica¬ 
tion, that accessory organ of elimination, the 
mucous membrane, is called upon to assist. 
The blood, carrying the toxins to be eliminated, 
is rushed to the membranes in large quantities, 
an increased amount of mucus and serum is 
supplied by the glands of the membranes, the 
poisons are passed from the blood into the 
68 


Symptoms 


mucus, and the latter is thrown onto the sur¬ 
face of the membranes where it can be elimi¬ 
nated by sneezing, coughing, and blowing the 
nose. The nose is chosen as the site of the in¬ 
flammation because it is very near to the out¬ 
side surface of the body and discharges can 
be readily removed from it. 

The signs of a cold may vary all the way 
from a mere “sniffling” in the nose to general¬ 
ized symptoms very closely resembling those 
of influenza. As a rule the trouble begins with 
a burning in the nose accompanied by sneez¬ 
ing. The burning is due to the increased 
supply of blood in the parts, which produces 
a sort of local fever and dries the membranes. 
This dryness and burning irritate the nerves 
and produce the sneeze. In order to counter¬ 
act the dryness and to supply a medium for 
the solution of the toxins an increased flow of 
mucus and serum is provided. Hence, the 
next symptom is a flow of thin, watery matter 
from the nose. Further sneezing helps to re¬ 
move this. If the cold is not now promptly 
and properly treated the symptoms proceed as 
follows: 

The thin mucus thickens and becomes yel- 
69 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


low and pus-like as it is further filled with 
toxins. In some cases it may become green¬ 
ish. A blackish color usually is due to dust 
and dirt which have been inhaled. This thick 
mucus interferes with breathing through the 
nose, and this difficulty is further increased 
by a swelling of the mucous membranes re¬ 
sulting from the congestion of blood and in¬ 
creased activity of the tissues. Even the 
outside of the nose may become red from the 
same cause. The upper lip frequently be¬ 
comes chapped and covered with “cold sores” 
from the acrid dripping from the nose and the 
general fever or gastric irritation. If breath¬ 
ing through the mouth becomes necessary the 
mucous membranes in the mouth and in the 
throat become dry, and the cold is inclined to 
spread to them—there will be coughing and 
elimination of phlegm from the throat, perhaps 
also a sore throat. Or the cold may spread 
upward and affect the eyes so that they become 
red, sore and swollen, and discharge either an 
increased amount of tears or an actual in¬ 
flammatory exudate. 

The extreme congestion in the nasal pas¬ 
sages often produces a headache at the root of 
70 



Symptoms 


the nose and a general full feeling through the 
head, sometimes with ringing in the ears. 
There may be even a slight fever and feeling 
of general prostration. (A general chilliness 
or an actual chill may begin these more severe 
attacks of colds.) As a rule there is no ap¬ 
petite at this stage, which is a clear indication 
of the need of fasting. Sometimes, at the be¬ 
ginning of the cold, the appetite may be in¬ 
creased, but this is not genuine hunger; and if 
the fast is started at this stage the cold will 
not develop further. Due to the difficulty in 
the breathing, the headache, and the nasal dis¬ 
charges, sleep is interfered with and the nerves 
become considerably irritated. A person with 
a severe cold is seldom if ever in a good humor. 
As a rule he has a full-fledged grouch. This 
only further increases the trouble, however, 
and should be avoided. (See paragraphs on 
mental causes of colds.) 

As the cold begins to abate the discharge 
lessens, the nose opens up so that breathing be¬ 
comes more free, the head feels clearer, and 
little by little all the symptoms subside. They 
should disappear entirely under proper treat¬ 
ment, but otherwise they reduce only to a 
71 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


chronic state and stay there. In some cases 
the cold may improve and then develop again 
immediately or shortly afterward, but only if 
the causes have not been removed. A cold 
usually lasts about a week if it has had a 
chance to become well developed before treat¬ 
ment is adopted, but it may extend to three 
weeks or even a month or more if neglected, or 
it may come and go for months. In the latter 
case catarrh practically always develops. Prop¬ 
erly treated, colds usually subside within three 
or four days. They cannot be made to stop ab¬ 
ruptly, except by drug suppression, because 
they do not develop until a good house-cleaning 
is needed. 


SYMPTOMS OF CATARRH 

The symptoms of catarrh are quite similar 
to those of a cold except that they are not so 
severe, and the general symptoms, such as 
headache and malaise, are not present. If the 
catarrh continues long enough, however, there 
usually are loss of weight and strength, and 
a considerable digestive disturbance, in addi¬ 
tion to the local symptoms. 

The local symptoms are divided into two 
72 



Symptoms 


varieties—hypertrophic and atrophic. In the 
former the mucous membrane becomes chroni¬ 
cally swollen and there may be even an over¬ 
growth of tissue. In extreme cases the turbi¬ 
nate bones themselves may become enlarged. 
Adenoids are common. All this partially 
occludes the nose so that breathing becomes dif¬ 
ficult. Though the discharge is slight, it is 
thick, and with the thickening of the mem¬ 
brane breathing becomes still more difficult, 
there is constant snuffling and sniffing, and 
mouth breathing frequently is resorted to. 
Then there is a coated tongue and foul breath. 
The thick mucus often has an offensive odor 
and it dries into crusts over night, which have 
to be picked out in the morning. Picking the 
nose through the day also is common. This is 
very largely a habit, however, and should be 
avoided. When the naso-pharynx is affected 
the mucus drops down into the throat and is 
swallowed, hawked up, or coughed up. If 
swallowed it usually disturbs the stomach 
functions sooner or later. 

The atrophic variety is associated with an 
atrophy or shrinking of the membrane instead 
of an overgrowth and swelling. This form 
73 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


often is called “dry catarrh.” The discharge 
is very slight and even may be absent. Due 
to the slow oozing of the mucus, crusts form 
readily and are common at all times. Picking 
them off frequently injures the mucous mem¬ 
brane and ulcers form, or these may develop 
anyhow. The nose feels dry and there is con¬ 
siderable burning and irritation. When the 
throat is affected coughing is very common and 
rather distressing, since the cough is unpro¬ 
ductive and gives little relief. This usually 
is a more chronic and more difficult condition 
to remedy than the hypertrophic variety. 

In mild cases of catarrh there may be 
neither atrophy nor hypertrophy but merely 
a sort of slight continuous cold. But no mat¬ 
ter what the particular symptoms it is well to 
remember that the basic causes are the same. 

COUGH SYMPTOMS 

A cough, being a symptom in itself, hardly 
can be said to have symptoms, but there are 
different varieties, even though the method of 
coughing is always the same. The actual 
mechanism of the cough is as follows: A more 
or less deep inspiration is taken and the glottis 
74 



Symptoms 


(the chink between the vocal cords and that 
part of the larynx concerned in speaking) is 
closed so that no air can escape and considera¬ 
ble pressure is developed within the lungs. 
This pressure usually is further increased by 
contraction of the walls of the bronchial tubes. 
Then the glottis is opened and a sudden forci¬ 
ble expiration made, which, if successful, forces 
the objectionable substance, whatever it may 
be, into the mouth. It is prevented from going 
up the nose by the uvula and soft palate. 
From the mouth it is easily ejected. This 
process is repeated a number of times if neces¬ 
sary, depending on the position, character, and 
amount of the material to be eliminated. 

These same factors determine the character 
of the cough. When the secretions are rather 
fluid and located in the trachea or bronchial 
tubes we have a moist cough. When this oc¬ 
curs in paroxysms it usually indicates asthma. 
This also may produce a wheezing cough, and 
so may chronic bronchitis. A dry cough is 
one where the secretions are very slight and 
tenacious or else absent. Chronic atrophic ca¬ 
tarrh or simply breathing dusty air produce 
such a cough. A dry cough, becoming violent, 
75 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


is quite characteristic of whooping cough. 

A hollow barking cough often indicates 
larnygitis; a hoarse cough, the beginning of 
a generalized cold; a ringing cough, becoming 
muffled, is common in croup; a raw cough in¬ 
dicates ulceration, partial destruction, or dis¬ 
placement of the vocal cords; a hollow, empty 
cough may occur in tuberculosis; and a slight 
cough generally is produced by catarrh of the 
upper air passages. However, the character 
of the cough cannot always be depended upon 
to indicate exactly the condition which is pres¬ 
ent, and other symptoms should be considered 
in arriving at a diagnosis. 

Symptoms as a whole serve the double pur¬ 
pose of warning the patient that he has not 
been treating his body rightly and of helping 
to remove the effects of his folly. They also 
help to indicate the chief causes of the trouble 
and thus make it easier to avoid them. Symp¬ 
toms are to a very considerable extent friends, 
and we should neither fight nor fear them. 
Simply accept the warning and admonition 
that they give, do all in your power to remove 
their causes, and you will never have need to 
give the symptoms any further thought. 

76 



CHAPTER V 


Treatment of Colds 

I HAVE stated that natural methods of 
treatment consist to a large extent in the 
removal of causes. This means that the meas¬ 
ures employed are not so much treatment as 
they are changes in the habits of living. Treat¬ 
ment implies temporary measures which are 
used only in an emergency, being discarded 
as soon as the signs of trouble have disap¬ 
peared; whereas, right living is something 
which must be adhered to permanently if one 
desires to maintain his regained health, or, in 
fact, to recover it. It is manifestly foolish to 
live in such a manner that disease is removed, 
and then return to the old disease-producing 
habits as soon as health is restored. 

Yet this is just what many people do. 
They may be told that they need to take cer¬ 
tain exercises, practice deep breathing, employ 
cold baths, and avoid certain imitation foods, 
77 


Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


in order to overcome their disease. This they 
may do, and then when they feel all right 
again, they cannot understand why the doctor 
insists that they continue to do these things. 
They are so accustomed to taking medicine for 
their ills until the symptoms are suppressed 
and then discontinuing it until the body pro¬ 
duces other symptoms, that they look upon 
exercise, breathing, bathing, etc., as so much 
“medicine” to be used in the same way. But 
I want my readers to clearly understand that 
they are sick because of the manner in which 
they have been living and the only way they 
can get well and stay well is to right about 
face and follow closely the straight and nar¬ 
row path of right living. And though the road 
be straight, narrow, and many times difficult, 
the goal at the end is more wonderful in every 
way than that reached by the broad and easy 
path of “do as you please.” 

Since the causes of all diseases are very 
similar, and natural methods of treatment con¬ 
sist largely in the removal of causes, it follows 
that the treatment of all diseases by these 
methods must be quite similar. This already 
has been explained in the case of colds, coughs, 
78 




Treatment of Colds 


and catarrh in the chapter on “Correlation.” 
There is a difference, however, in the treatment 
of acute and chronic diseases. 

In the acute disease all the functions of the 
body are working very actively in an effort to 
throw off the accumulated impurities, so that 
it is not so necessary to stimulate the body to 
increased activity as it is to avoid giving it any 
unnecessary work to do, and to conserve 
energy. In a chronic disease, on the other 
hand, all the functions of the body are work¬ 
ing sluggishly, and there is need to stimulate 
them, naturally, to greater activity and to build 
vitality. Of course, there are various stages in 
both acute and chronic diseases and some con¬ 
ditions are on the border line between the two, 
so that it is not always possible to lay down 
hard and fast rules; but in the majority of 
cases it will be found that the important points 
in treatment are as described in the two sen¬ 
tences beginning this paragraph. 

Because of this difference in acute and 
chronic diseases I am considering the treatment 
of colds and catarrh in separate chapters; hut 
because of the close relationship between the 
two conditions it would be well for every 
79 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


patient to give attention to both chapters even 
though he have only one of the abnormalities. 
I am also devoting a separate chapter to the 
cough, so that it can be added to the treatment 
of either the cold or catarrh or used separately 
in those cases where it is not connected with 
either of these diseases. 

All acute diseases are more easily and 
quickly remedied than chronic ones. This is 
not only because the body is making more 
strenuous efforts to throw off the accumulated 
poisons in an acute disease, but also because the 
acute crisis is the first to appear; this means 
that the body has not been so long abused 
nor so filled with impurities as is the case 
when a chronic disease has had the time and 
opportunity to develop. Hence, all acute dis¬ 
ease should receive prompt and proper atten¬ 
tion, because when the causes have been 
removed there is that much less reason for a 
chronic disease to develop. Continual suppres¬ 
sion of acute diseases is one of the chief rea¬ 
sons for the increase in chronic ones. But such 
suppression only puts off the day of reckoning 
when the debt to Nature must be paid “to the 
uttermost farthing.” The longer the period 
80 



Treatment of Colds 


of abuse the greater the debt, and the longer 
and more difficult will be the journey back to 
health. In some cases it may be so difficult that 
the patient wearies and succumbs. 

Elimination is the keynote in the treatment 
of acute diseases and, therefore, in the treat¬ 
ment of colds. All the symptoms show that 
the body is making every effort to purify it¬ 
self; and the more you can help, without re¬ 
quiring too great an expenditure of energy 
of the body, the better. After the disease has 
been eliminated the important thing is to build 
vitality in order to restore the lost energy and 
to develop resistance against the adversities of 
environment. 

When these facts are kept in mind it readily 
will be seen how foolish are the orthodox 
methods of treating a cold. One of the oldest 
treatment maxims is “Feed a cold and starve 
a fever.” The latter part is all right, but if 
you try to feed a cold you will soon have a 
fever to starve. If you stuff the cold, you 
may make it worse, possibly bring on a fever. 
By starving a cold in the first place it must 
soon disappear and there will be no likelihood 
of a fever developing at all. How can you 
81 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


expect to assist the body in elimination when 
you are keeping it busy all the time digesting 
and assimilating food, or rather in passing out 
the undigested foods with the least damage 
possible? For food will not be properly di¬ 
gested, if it is digested at all, during an acute 
disease. At such a time the digestive juices 
do not flow in proper quantity or quality, and 
the motor mechanism is practically at a stand¬ 
still. Eating when the body is not in condition 
to handle food is overeating, and overeating 
has been cited as one of the chief causes of 
colds. To continue deliberately a cause as a 
means of eliminating the effect is the height 
of stupidity. But most people do not think 
when they are ill; they simply take other 
people’s advice, which may or may not be good 
—usually not. No matter what the source of 
the advice, it always should be subjected to 
the test of your own reason. When so tested 
natural methods of healing never will be found 
wanting—providing, of course, that you have 
a good foundation for reasoning along rational 
lines in regard to disease. 

Taking drugs for a cold is even worse than 
the feeding idea. This not only adds further 
82 




Treatment of Colds 


poisons to the body at a time when purifica¬ 
tion is the prime necessity, but at the same 
time, by inhibiting the nervous system, renders 
the organism less able to eliminate these 
poisons. Discouraged and half dead, the body 
quits its purifying efforts for a time, the 
symptoms disappear, and the patient thinks 
he is “cured.” In reality he is worse off than 
at first, but it is hard to convince him of it 
until later when he finds himself developing 
catarrh or something worse. Fortunately, 
most people do not consider a cold serious 
enough to require a “regular” doctor; they 
simply visit the corner druggist who gives 
them a laxative, which, with the eliminative 
efforts already being made by the body, usu¬ 
ally is sufficient to give temporary relief. 
Bad as laxatives are, they are not so bad as 
some other things that might be taken. If the 
druggist gives aspirin or quinine, or both, the 
cold sufferer might just as well have gone to 
the most liberal drug-dispensing doctor in 
town. 

Probably the next treatment, as soon as 
someone can find a specific germ on which to 
blame the cold, will be serums and “immuniza- 
83 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


tion.” This will endure for a while (as long 
as the credulity of the people will tolerate it), 
be succeeded by another treatment, and so on, 
ad infinitum . Meanwhile, colds will continue 
as numerous as ever and perhaps more and 
more serious, as the causes will not have been 
removed. 

CHLORINE GAS TREATMENT 

One treatment devised by the medical pro¬ 
fession—the chlorine gas treatment—seems to 
have some virtue in lessening symptoms. 
This treatment consists of the inhalation of 
small quantities of chlorine gas mixed with 
air. A specially constructed chamber, in which 
the patient sits, is used, the gas being admitted 
very slowly. The length of a treatment usu¬ 
ally is half an hour, but varies in individual 
cases. Chlorine is a poison and hence helps 
to kill germs; and while germs are not a cause 
of colds they sometimes help to perpetuate or 
intensify the symptoms, particularly in those 
of low vitality. The quantity of chlorine is 
small enough to produce no noticeable bad 
effects on the patient but sufficient to have some 
germicidal action. Of course, germs grow 

84 




Treatment of Colds 


rapidly, and even though it were possible to 
kill all of them in one or several chlorine treat¬ 
ments, which is unlikely, they would soon grow 
again as long as there were poisons present for 
them to feed upon. The treatment is not, 
therefore, a substitute for natural methods of 
treatment, but if used at all should be con¬ 
sidered only as an accessory. 

A few persons who have a naturally high 
vitality may be able to throw off a cold with no 
assistance but from the chlorine treatment, but 
the majority will do well not to depend on it 
alone. In fact, if proper treatment of a ra¬ 
tional character is adopted promptly a cold 
will be aborted and no necessity for further 
assistance will be felt. Even in stubborn and 
advanced cases natural methods of treatment 
are fully adequate, the chlorine being merely 
a method of securing some additional relief 
from symptoms. In all cases it is well to re¬ 
member that unless the fundamental causes 
enumerated in this book are removed a genu¬ 
ine cure has not been attained—and a genuine 
cure consists of nothing more than a return 
to normal by removal of impeding factors; 
there is nothing magic or mysterious about 

85 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 
it, as most people seem to consider “cures.’’ 

TERPEZONE TREATMENT 

Another very effective treatment that re¬ 
cently has been brought to my attention is 
Terpezone. As the name implies, this is a 
combination of turpentine and ozone. A 
special apparatus, involving years of study 
and experimenting, now is perfected for mak¬ 
ing a vapor from refined turpentine (sap of 
the pine tree) and combining it with ozone, 
which it produces also during the electro¬ 
chemical process. The vapor is moistureless 
and heatless, and non-irritating to the most 
delicate membranes, even when these are in¬ 
flamed. 

Ozone is a healthful, natural ingredient of 
the air; but deforestation, land cultivation, and 
the erection of homes, towns, and factories, 
with their smoke-belching and gas-exuding 
chimneys, have lessened the presence of ozone 
until even a trace cannot be found in the air 
above thickly populated districts. In the 
mountain and forest regions the air is laden 
with both ozone and the emanations from the 
pines, and these are about the only localities 
86 




Treatment of Colds 


where ozone is found today. It doubtless is 
largely due to the presence of these that the 
climate of pine forest regions is so favorable 
for catarrh, tuberculosis, anemia, and many 
other disorders, particularly those involving 
the respiratory passages and the quality of the 
blood from the standpoint of cells and hemo¬ 
globin. 

When terpezone is inhaled there is brought 
into direct contact with the respiratory mu¬ 
cous membranes a rich supply of a very sooth¬ 
ing vapor that contains an oxidizing agent, in 
ozone, that destroys all bacteria within a few 
minutes. It is the one substance, except sun¬ 
light, that kills germs and yet not only does 
not destroy the cells but increases their func¬ 
tioning ability. The ozone is absorbed by the 
lungs, in small amounts necessarily but in 
potent amounts, and as it comes in contact 
with toxic material it gives off a molecule of 
oxygen that destroys the toxins. This is a 
treatment that, frequently, greatly relieves or 
cures a cold in one treatment of an hour or 
two—not by suppressing it, but by destroying 
the toxins responsible for the cold. It is a 
treatment by elements we naturally would 
87 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


have but are denied by our own progress in 
civilization. Unfortunately, this apparatus is 
not as yet made in large numbers, but I under¬ 
stand that before long there will be available 
an apparatus for every doctor or community. 

The natural and rational treatment of colds 
is the same now as it always has been and al¬ 
ways will be. It varies only with the stage of 
the trouble and not with the styles in treat¬ 
ment, for it is based on sound premises, not 
on hypotheses or public demand. 

Colds might be divided into three stages— 
coming on, developed, and becoming compli¬ 
cated. In the coming-on stage a few simple 
measures for assisting the elimination are all 
that will be required to produce results, though, 
of course, there must be a reform in the habits 
of living in order to prevent recurrence. In 
this first stage the measures that may be em¬ 
ployed with benefit are about as follows: 

COLD COMING ON 

A long walk should be taken, together with 
deep breathing. The length of this walk may 
be anywhere from five to fifteen miles, depend¬ 
ing upon one’s general condition and the 
88 



Treatment of Colds 


amount of time available. If not accustomed 
to doing much walking five miles probably 
would be all that could be taken, and the most 
comfortable shoes possessed should be worn in 
order to spare the feet. The route of the walk 
should be through the district with the purest 
air available, and for the ordinary person three 
miles an hour would be a good rate of progres¬ 
sion. One should make a special effort to 
breathe more deeply than usual, but not so 
deeply as to produce strain or dizziness or 
fatigue of the respiratory apparatus. Rhyth¬ 
mic breathing is very satisfactory. This calls 
for inhalation for a certain number of steps 
and then exhalation for a certain number, after 
which there is a brief pause. The number of 
steps can be regulated according to the individ¬ 
ual requirements, but most people can use the 
rate of six, four, and two—inhaling for six 
steps, exhaling for four, pausing for two. 
Some may find it easier to inhale and exhale 
for the same number of steps. After suffi¬ 
cient practice this method of breathing will be¬ 
come almost automatic, requiring little or no 
conscious attention to counting. 

Another very excellent breathing and walk- 
89 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


ing exercise is to take one quick half-breath 
with the first step, two quick quarter-breaths 
with the second step (thus completing a full 
intake of air); then exhale during the next two 
steps, this method to be continued throughout 
the walk or for as long as desired and then 
later repeated. This walk may be taken at 
any time during the day, but preferably in the 
afternoon. 

Eat nothing but acid fruit (oranges or 
grapefruit being best) for the evening meal, 
then before retiring take an enema and a hot 
bath. The hot bath may last for five or six 
minutes at a temperature of 105 to 108 de¬ 
grees, after which the body should be sponged 
off with cold water and thoroughly dried. It 
is well to have a cold wet towel about the head 
while in the bath. Retire early and be sure to 
have plenty of fresh air in the bedroom, or 
better yet, sleep out of doors. 

By next morning the cold will be gone in 
most cases, but it will he well to eat lightly 
that day, to take an air-bath, and if possible 
a sun-bath, and to continue to secure plenty 
of fresh air. Thereafter give more attention 
to right living, especially in regard to diet, 
90 




Treatment of Colds 


and if you wish to be on the safe side it would 
be well to take a short fast. Even though it 
may not be absolutely necessary, it is always 
of advantage to fast for a few days occasion¬ 
ally this is a practice that even the healthy 
person can adhere to with benefit. 

COLD WELL DEVELOPED 

If the cold has reached the stage where it is 
well developed before treatment is adopted, 
the fast or an acid-fruit diet will be very neces¬ 
sary. Many cases will find that an acid-fruit 
diet will be just as good as the fast, since it 
has a specially alkalinizing effect on the body, 
and most persons who have a cold are in a 
condition of lessened alkalinity. 

The best treatment for a cold in this stage 
is somewhat as follows: A diet of nothing but 
raw acid fruit, adopted as soon as the treat¬ 
ment is decided upon, and continued until the 
symptoms all have subsided. Oranges are the 
best to use, but grapefruit, grapes, unsweet¬ 
ened grape juice, or peaches may be taken. 
The quantity usually should be limited to six 
oranges a day or a similar amount of other 
fruit. The fruit may be taken in three meals 
91 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


or may be consumed one piece at a time at 
equal intervals throughout the day. Severe 
cases would do well to take the juice of the 
fruit only, rejecting the pulp. There should 
be taken from three to four quarts of water 
a day, at any time and in whatever manner is 
most convenient. Either hot or cold water or 
some of each may be used, according to the 
desire. In cold weather it is as well to use 
at least one quart of hot water daily. The 
water may be flavored with a little lemon juice 
if desired. 

An enema of one to two quarts of warm 
water also should be taken daily, preferably 
in the evening. The water must be injected 
slowly from an ordinary fountain syringe, but 
it is not retained more than three minutes and 
need not necessarily be retained at all after the 
required quantity has been injected. Any one 
of three positions may be used—the knee- 
chest, on the right side, or on the back with 
hips elevated on a pillow. For those who do 
not know what the knee-chest position is, I 
will explain that the body is supported by the 
knees and elbows with the chest almost touch¬ 
ing the floor and the hips elevated, the thighs 
92 



Treatment of Colds 


vertical, the trunk sloping downward from 
the hips to the head. This posture permits the 
water to flow in gently by gravity and also 
aids the patient in relaxing the abdominal 
muscles. This is the preferred position in 
most cases, but if any special difficulty is ex¬ 
perienced in holding the water one can try 
lying on the side or on the back as desired. It 
is not necessary to use anything in the water, 
but in cases where constipation is severe and 
there is difficulty in expelling the water a little 
salt (a level tablespoonful to each quart of 
w r ater), or some soapsuds may be added if de¬ 
sired. 

In the evening of the first day of treatment 
the hot bath and enema should be taken the 
same as in the case of a cold which is just be¬ 
ginning. At least ten hours of sleep should be 
secured that night, and the bedroom should be 
ventilated to the fullest extent possible. If 
able to sleep outdoors so much the better. 
Every day during the fruit diet and for at 
least a week thereafter arrangements should 
be made to secure as many hours of sleep as 
circumstances will permit. If unable to sleep 
all the time when in bed, be sure to relax per- 
93 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


fectly, mind and body, as this will be the next 
best thing to sleep. 

The difficulty in breathing when lying 
down, which is a frequent symptom of a heavy 
cold, may be relieved by the use of a heating 
compress to the neck, and this can be worn 
nightly to advantage in any case, as it reduces 
inflammation and helps to induce sleep. This 
pack is made of two or three thicknesses of 
muslin or linen cloth about two inches wide, 
which is saturated in cold water, thoroughly 
wrung out, and applied closely round the neck. 
It is covered with a slightly wider piece of 
heavy woolen flannel or woolen cloth, such as 
a piece of old blanket. This is applied as 
snugly as possible in order to keep the air from 
the wet cloth, but it should not be so tight as 
to be uncomfortable or to interfere with cir¬ 
culation. When properly covered, the pack 
soon becomes warm and usually dries during 
the night. 

When the orange diet is used it is seldom 
necessary to take more than the one hot bath. 
A daily air, dry-friction, and sun-bath, fol¬ 
lowed by a cold bath, should be used. In taking 
an air-bath it is important to maintain warmth, 

94 




Treatment of Colds 


but there should be no difficulty about this 
when dry friction is applied. If the sunlight 
also can be procured this will add to the 
warmth, and in the summer may make it so 
hot that an occasional sponge or shower of 
cold water will be necessary. In taking a sun¬ 
bath one should start with three to five 
minutes’ exposure of the nude body and in¬ 
crease three to five minutes a day up to sev¬ 
eral hours. The gradual application is 
necessary to avoid burning. A good way to 
start is “piecemeal”—the legs the first day, 
legs and thighs the second day, including the 
hips next, then the abdomen, finally the trunk 
above the waist. The sun should not pass 
through glass, and if taken indoors the win¬ 
dow should be partly open. The best way 
indoors is to lower fully the top sash of the 
window. A cold bath always should follow 
the sun-bath. Even half an hour’s sun-bath is 
a great help. If the natural sunlight cannot 
be procured, artificial sunlight from the 
mercury-quartz lamp may be employed. If 
neither is available, the air-bath alone will be 
of much value, but in this case it should be 
continued an hour or more. In the winter it 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


will have to be taken in a heated room as, 
of course, no clothes are worn during an air- 
bath. The dry-friction bath need not occupy 
more than ten minutes, usually less. The fric¬ 
tion may be applied with the bare hand, a 
coarse towel, a bath mitt, or a soft brush. 
Start gradually and make the friction more 
vigorous as the skin becomes toughened. 

Exercise is best confined to walking during 
the fruit diet, although if one is quite vigor¬ 
ous and accustomed to exercise a workout suf- 
ficent to produce perspiration on the first and 
second days of treatment would be of advan¬ 
tage and would render it unnecessary to take 
a hot bath. When walking, rhythmic breath¬ 
ing should be practiced as already described. 
If unable to do much walking for any reason 
deep breathing is all the more important. It 
should be practiced for two or three minutes 
whenever convenient during the day, always 
doing it in the fresh air. Any breathing exer¬ 
cises will be of value, but I give a few here as 
examples. 

1. Exhale fully; then inhale as you raise 
arms forward upward, high overhead, 
hold the breath for two seconds, then 
96 



Treatment of Colds 


lower the arms sidewise as you exhale. 
Repeat. 

2. Drop the head forward and clasp hands 

behind it. Inhale as you bring the 
head and elbows well backward, ex¬ 
hale as you relax forward again. Re¬ 
peat. 

3. Place the tips of the fingers on the root 

of the nose between the eyebrows; 
then spread the nostrils and inhale 
rapidly and forcibly. Exhale slowly 
and evenly, letting the arms drop to 
the sides. Repeat. 

4. Inhale a full breath; then exhale slowly 

as you hum the sound “m.” Repeat 
several times. 

5. Inhale in a series of sniffs; then exhale 

the same way. Repeat a few times. 

6. Extend arms forward shoulder high as 

you exhale, then draw the elbows as 
far back as possible as you inhale, and 
repeat. 

7. Draw the shoulders forward as you ex¬ 

hale, then roll them upward, back¬ 
ward, and downward as you inhale, 
and repeat. 


97 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


8. Close one nostril with the finger and in¬ 

hale and exhale through the other. 
Same with the other nostril. Repeat 
a few times. 

9. Inhale a full breath, hold it one second 

as you bend the body to the left, then 
exhale as you return to upright posi¬ 
tion. Same, bending the body to the 
right. Repeat. 

10. Inhale a full breath slowly, then open 
the mouth wide and exhale suddenly 
and completely. Repeat three or four 
times. 

After the symptoms of the cold have sub¬ 
sided and it is time to break the orange diet 
or fast, the milk diet will be found the best to 
use in most cases. This will enable one rapidly 
to regain the weight lost and to build up the 
vitality. It also is the easiest method of break¬ 
ing a fast or fruit diet. Fresh raw milk should 
be used, though pasteurized may be taken if 
the fresh milk cannot be procured. If a com¬ 
plete fast has been observed the orange diet 
should be taken for one or two days before 
starting the milk. In any case, on the first 
day the quantity of milk is to be limited to six 
98 





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102 

























Treatment of Colds 


glasses, taking it a glass at a time every two 
hours. The next day twelve glasses can be 
taken at one-hour intervals. After that the 
quantity is to be increased two glasses a day 
up to five or six quarts. The milk should be 
sipped slowly, and it may he warmed slightly 
if desired. In no case is it taken ice cold. 
Two or three oranges may be used each day 
and if the milk is pasteurized at least one 
orange to each quart should be taken. 

Enemas, which should have been used while 
on the fruit diet, are to be continued daily until 
the bowels move naturally, but the quantity 
and temperature of the water is to be grad¬ 
ually reduced until only a cup of cool water is 
being injected. If normal movements are de¬ 
layed longer than a week the enema may be 
skipped for one day and then used only on 
alternate days. This gives the bowels a fur¬ 
ther incentive to move of themselves. 

The milk diet may be continued for from 
two to four weeks, or even longer if desired. 
If unable to arrange to secure the milk at 
proper intervals for any length of time, how¬ 
ever, a combination diet of milk and fruit for 
two meals and one meal of natural solid foods 
103 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


may be started after four or five days on milk. 
In this case the milk and fruit meals should 
be composed of two or three glasses of milk 
with fruit as desired, using acid fruit at one 
meal and sw T eet fruit at the other. Care is to 
be observed not to eat too much sweet fruit; 
also not to overeat at the meal of solid foods. 
This meal of solid food should consist of raw 
and cooked vegetables, whole wheat bread and 
butter, and a light dessert. Vegetable soup 
may be added when desired, and eggs, cottage 
cheese, or a little fish might be added three or 
four times a week. 

After the milk diet or an equal period on 
the combination diet, a normal one of fruits, 
vegetables, whole grain cereals, and dairy 
products is resumed. 

A few days after breaking the fast or fruit 
diet general exercise should be started grad¬ 
ually, using any of those given in the chapter 
on “Treatment of Catarrh” or any others that 
may appeal to one. Since the purpose of these 
exercises is to stimulate the circulation and 
elimination and build strength and vitality, it 
is not so important just which movements are 
taken as it is that the muscles be used suffi- 

104 



Treatment of Colds 


ciently to bring about the desired physiologi¬ 
cal benefits. In all cases, however, the rule 
should be observed to begin lightly, increase 
gradually and regularly, and keep at it per¬ 
sistently. While on a milk diet the exercises 
are best taken in the early morning before 
starting milk for the day. 

All general health-building measures should 
be observed, along with proper diet and exer¬ 
cise, in order to preclude any probability of a 
recurrence of the cold. 

There is one special form of exercise that 
has been found very helpful for colds. This 
was described by Dr. Thomas Clarke Hinkle 
in an article in Physical Culture Magazine . 
The idea of the exercise is to increase forcibly 
the circulation through the nasal passages and 
thereby cure the cold with one’s own blood. 
Of course, the blood has to do this anyhow, 
as it is the medium which carries away the 
waste matter and brings up the new material 
for replacing worn-out cells; but this special 
exercise hastens the process. 

The exercise is performed as follows: From 
a sitting position in a chair, lean well forward 
so that the head is down between the knees; 

105 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


then press downward with the abdominal 
muscles as though straining at stool; relax, 
and repeat several times. Then raise the body 
to normal sitting position, rest a moment, and 
repeat the exercise. This can be done when¬ 
ever convenient during the day. While lean¬ 
ing forward, and particularly while pressing 
with the abdominal muscles, one will have a 
very full feeling in the head, but after re¬ 
turning to upright position the nose and head 
will feel considerably clearer. The full feel¬ 
ing is due to the increased flow of blood to the 
head, the clear feeling to the relief of the con¬ 
gestion. After a number of repetitions, the 
increased circulation will have brought about 
considerable healing. It is not advisable, how¬ 
ever, to depend on this method alone for a 
cure, as it does not go deeply enough. It is a 
true “treatment,” as it does not greatly affect 
the fundamental causes of the abnormality. 
Nevertheless, it will be found to be a valuable 
assistant and may be taken while fasting, fruit 
dieting, or eating. 

COLD BECOMING COMPLICATED 

If for any reason the cold has been allowed 
106 



Tbeatment of Colds 


to progress to the point where it shows signs 
of becoming complicated, more strict treat¬ 
ment will have to be instituted. The absolute 
fast should be adopted, except that a little 
orange, lemon, or grapefruit juice in water 
may be used if especially craved. More rest 
should be secured, and if the fever is noticeable 
it would be best to go to bed. In a low fever a 
hot-blanket pack may be used effectively, and 
in a high fever a cold-sheet pack. 

The hot-blanket pack consists merely in 
wrapping the body in hot blankets, dry ones 
being the easiest handled. If no facilities are 
available for heating the blankets except by 
hot water, the hot wet blanket is to be covered 
with several layers of dry blankets, with hot 
water bottles placed about the patient in 
order to maintain the heat. A cold wet cloth 
should be placed on or around the head. 
When free perspiration has occurred the pa¬ 
tient should be uncovered, sponged with cool 
water, thoroughly dried, and again covered 
with sufficient bedclothing to avoid chilling, 
Care must be observed to avoid chilling when 
removing the hot blankets. The room should 
be warm, and it may be necessary to uncover 
107 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


.only part of the body at a time, sponging and 
drying that part before uncovering any more 
of the body. This usually is safest. 

If necessary to apply a cold wet-sheet pack, 
proceed as follows: Place several blankets on 
the bed and the wet sheet on top of these. 
The patient is then placed on the sheet, with 
the top at about the base of his skull, and is 
rapidly covered. First bring the wet sheet 
over one arm, over the body, between the body 
and the other arm, and over one leg, tucking 
it in close to the skin. Then bring the other 
side of the sheet completely over the body and 
legs and tuck in well. The legs should be 
close together and the arms close to the body 
at the finish of the sheet wrapping, though at 
the start the legs are slightly separated and 
the arms away from the body. The sheet is 
fitted snugly about the neck by folding, and 
the lower end is folded up over the feet. The 
blankets are wrapped closely round the body 
over the sheet, mummy-like; and if the patient 
does not feel warm in a minute or so hot water 
bottles should be placed at the feet and sides. 
A cold wet towel is placed on the forehead or 
about the head. This pack is to be left on until 
108 



Treatment of Colds 


perspiration has been produced; when it is re¬ 
moved the patient is covered with the dry 
blanket, and sponged, a part at a time, with 
cool water. 

Both the hot-blanket and the cold-sheet 
packs are powerful eliminators, and together 
with the fast, water drinking, and enemas 
should promptly check the progress of the dis¬ 
ease. 

Aside from the measures mentioned, the 
treatment is the same as described in the pre¬ 
vious section for a cold that has become well 
developed. 

One never should allow a cold to develop 
beyond the initial stage, however, as long as he 
possesses the knowledge of how to remove it. 
This does not mean that the cold should be 
suppressed, but that the causes should be 
promptly removed and the body assisted in its 
work of elimination. When taken in the first 
stage the treatment is very simple and effec¬ 
tive and need not inconvenience one to any 
great extent. It is only when one has failed 
to pay his debt to Nature promptly that she 
exacts usury in the form of additional suffer¬ 
ing and additional self-denial in treatment. 

109 



Colds., Coughs and Catarrh 


So if you have a cold start now to treat it; 
if you have none as yet go back and read the 
first part of this chapter again and resolve to 
use the measures there described and avoid 
getting a cold, and the unnecessary trouble, 
expense, and disappointment associated with 
it. 


no 



CHAPTER VI 


Treatment of Coughs 

W HEN passing a drug store the other 
day I saw a large sign in the window 
reading “Stop that cough!—25 cents.” 
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? And many people 
believe that it is just that easy to stop a cough 
as the advertising sign indicated. They think 
that for the price of twenty-five cents and the 
time it takes to swallow a few spoonfuls of 
some concoction or other or dissolve a few pel¬ 
lets on the tongue they can purchase freedom 
from the cough that is irritating and annoy¬ 
ing them. Perhaps they can for a time, but 
it soon returns, or something worse develops. 
The advertised methods of treatment are so 
easy that they do not require the patient to do 
any thinking, so he never thinks whether any 
of the treatments will do more harm than the 
cough, whether the results will be permanent, 
why he has the cough, or any such troublesome 
ill 


Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


questions as these. If anyone were to tell him 
that he was laying the foundation for pneu¬ 
monia, asthma, or tuberculosis, he would re¬ 
fuse to believe it. 

I cannot impress upon you too strongly the 
importance of avoiding drug suppression of a 
cough. The cough is there for a purpose, a 
necessary purpose, and to prevent the cough 
without removing the cause is to court disas¬ 
ter. Suppose you accidentally caught a fish 
bone in your throat and started to cough. 
Would you take medicine for it? Would you 
try to suppress the cough? No, you would 
cough all the harder and try other measures as 
well for removing the cause. There is no more 
reason or warrant for suppressing a cough due 
to excess mucus, inflammation, nerve irrita¬ 
tion, etc., wtihout removing the cause, than 
there is for suppressing one due to an obstruc¬ 
tion in the throat without removing the ob¬ 
struction. The immediate bad effects may not 
be so apparent, but they are there just the 
same. 

If, however, one is employing all possible 
measures for removing the cause of the trouble 
but even more prompt removal of the cough 
112 



Treatment of Coughs 


seems necessary because of complications, 
there are a few occasions when suppression 
even by drugs may to some extent be war¬ 
ranted. I have hesitated to mention this, be¬ 
cause where allowed an inch many will take a 
mile; but as most people who are sufficiently 
interested in natural methods to read a book 
on the subject are at least beginning to think, 
I believe that I can cover this phase of the 
subject without being misunderstood. Re¬ 
member, however, that one must be taking 
steps to remove the causes before any suppres¬ 
sion is allowed, and none should be used in any 
case except as a last resort. 

One may at times develop a truly nervous 
cough; that is, one which is caused, aggra¬ 
vated, or perpetuated, by a general nervous 
condition. There may be some slight inflam¬ 
mation in the throat but the cough is wholly 
unproductive and really serves no useful pur¬ 
pose. Its continuance may even be due to 
habit. In this case, partial suppression may 
be justified for a time. Will power should be 
sufficient when other proper measures are be¬ 
ing employed to allay the nervousness. Re¬ 
solve that you will not cough without reason, 

113 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


and if you feel yourself starting make an ef¬ 
fort to control it. Deep breathing and auto¬ 
suggestion will be helpful here. The latter 
may be employed to advantage in any case. 
Various soothing substances, such as will be 
described hereafter, may be swallowed and 
should help to some extent. The real suppres¬ 
sion, however, depends mostly on will power, 
and relaxation for relieving the nervous ten¬ 
sion. In extreme cases, where complications 
make it imperative to avoid the strain of 
coughing, temporary use of certain drugs may 
be a last resort, but opiates should be avoided. 

A fairly frequent reason for partly sup¬ 
pressing a cough is pleurisy. In this condition 
the pleura is so inflamed that any extra mo¬ 
tion irritates it, adds to the pain, and interferes 
with healing. Hence, the less friction between 
the two layers of the pleura the better, and 
this is least in quiet, normal breathing. When 
coughing, breathing is deep and the movement 
of the pleura extensive, hence the reason for 
trying to lessen it. The patient will, himself, 
make every effort to suppress his coughing 
because of the pain which it causes him. Fur¬ 
ther protection will be secured by strapping 

114 



Tkeatment of Coughs 


the chest with adhesive plaster so that the ribs 
on the affected side cannot lift very high, par¬ 
ticularly the lower ribs. Inhibition of the 
spinal centers may be of assistance in further 
reducing the cough. This should be done by a 
therapist who understands such treatment. 
In acute pleurisy no further measures for 
suppression should be employed, as it is nec¬ 
essary to eliminate the excess mucus. In any 
case, proper treatment will soon so lessen the 
symptoms that the cough will cause no 
trouble. In chronic pleurisy where there is 
little extra mucus mild drug suppression may 
be employed for a time if all other measures 
fail. 

A somewhat similar condition to pleurisy is 
peritonitis, which is inflammation of the serous 
lining membrane of the abdomen. As there is 
considerable movement of this membrane 
when coughing, it may be necessary to use 
some suppression for the same reasons as in 
pleurisy. 

About the only other condition where par¬ 
tial suppression may be required is in tuber¬ 
culosis, either pulmonary or laryngeal. 
Proper treatment will, in the great majority 

115 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


of cases, keep the cough within bounds; but 
in very severe cases where the lung involve¬ 
ment is extensive, the patient weak, and the 
cough severe, some damage may be done to the 
lung tissue, and scars which have formed may 
be torn by the severe wrenching. Even then, 
the use of fresh air and rest usually is suffi¬ 
cient, but some actual suppression occasionally 
may seem necessary for a time. The patient 
should endeavor to suppress the more severe 
coughing, and inhibition may be tried. Strap¬ 
ping the chest, as in pleurisy, also will be of 
assistance. 

Tuberculosis of the larynx is a frequent 
justification for cough suppression. Cough¬ 
ing is a severe strain on the larynx, and the 
worse the larynx is and the less able it is to 
stand such strain the more likely will a severe 
cough be present. This aggravates edema of 
the larynx, which is a dangerous condition. 
Every effort should be made to avoid suppres¬ 
sion; but if it seems necessary, and voluntary 
suppression fails, try local anesthetics, such as 
orthoform or anesthesin. By lessening the 
sensibility of the laryngeal mucous membranes 
much coughing may be prevented. Occasion- 
116 



Treatment of Coughs 


ally some drug suppression may seem neces¬ 
sary. The use of sunlight in the larynx 
usually will soon remove the necessity for any 
such inhibition. 

Outside these conditions, avoid suppression. 
And please note that even in these extreme 
cases complete suppression is not justified; 
there should be merely enough to tide the pa¬ 
tient over until the general treatment can get 
in its work. “Stop that cough—25 cents” is 
never safe! Probably even the conditions 
named would never require drug suppression 
if it were not for the fact that people are so 
accustomed to taking drugs that in desperate 
cases nothing else will produce the necessary 
mental effect. 

No matter what particular measures may 
be used to ease and prevent the cough itself, 
the most important thing is to treat the dis¬ 
ease to which the cough is due. When this is 
removed the cough will disappear of itself. As 
we already have seen, the most common cough 
diseases are colds and catarrh, treatment for 
these being fully given in this book. If these 
conditions are properly treated and followed 
by right living, there will be no need to know 
117 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


the treatment for their complications, such as 
pneumonia, influenza, asthma, tuberculosis, 
and other conditions where excess mucus pro¬ 
duces the cough symptom, because these will 
not occur. However, in order to be of some 
assistance to those cases which already have 
developed these troubles, brief directions for 
treatment have been given in the chapter on 
‘ 4 Complications. ’ ’ 

In the group of coughs produced by direct 
nerve pressure the primary need is to remove 
that pressure. If due to spinal subluxations 
adjustments and spinal exercises will be 
needed. An osteopath, naprapath, or chiro¬ 
practor, or perhaps a masseur or masseuse, 
should be consulted. In ordinary cases, any 
of the spinal exercises given in the chapter on 
“Treatment of Catarrh” may be used. Some¬ 
times these will be enough to produce results 
without adjustments. In cases of spinal cur¬ 
vature, however, special exercises will have to 
be devised in accordance with the direction 
of the curve. My book, 44 Strengthening the 
Spine,” would be of assistance. 

When the pressure is due to tumor, 
aneurysm, or goitre the quickest and most ef- 
118 



Treatment of Coughs 


fective method for relief is the fast. In the 
case of a tumor the fast should continue until 
the growth is absorbed if possible, otherwise 
a series of shorter fasts with a careful diet be¬ 
tween fasts, using raw foods wholly or chiefly. 
In the case of an aneurysm the series of 
shorter fasts should be used, each fast ranging 
from five to ten days, a limited diet of natural 
foods being taken between fasts. When there 
is a goitre the same plan will prove valuable, 
although some cases of simple goitre can take 
the long fast when the general condition is 
good. General health-building measures, of 
course, are to be employed in all these con¬ 
ditions; but exercise must be very limited or 
avoided in aneurysm, and fairly light in goitre. 
It generally can be taken freely in tumor 
cases, except that movements which cause pain 
or aggravate the affected area should be 
avoided. 

In coughs due to nerve irritation reflexed 
from some other part of the body, fasting is 
very helpful in giving prompt relief. Par¬ 
ticularly in those cases where the cough is due 
to a stomach reflex is fasting of value. Here 
it may be the only measure required. When 
119 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


the trouble arises from the reproductive 
organs, a short fast, continence, and alternate 
hot and cold sitz baths are the main point of 
treatment. 

No actual treatment is needed where the 
cough is due simply to foreign matter in the 
atmosphere. Just use such measures as are 
necessary to purify the air or to secure better 
air. If some foreign substance lodges in the 
throat, the induced cough generally will sub¬ 
side it. Leaning forward and slapping the 
back between the shoulders will be of further 
assistance. In the case of a young child it 
may be held upside down by the feet. Sharp 
substances which stick in the throat may some¬ 
times require surgical assistance. 

There are a number of measures which may 
be used in the case of a cough which, while they 
do not materially affect the cause of the 
trouble, still are of considerable value since 
they relieve irritation and lessen the violence 
of the cough. One of the best known of these 
measures is the taking of small quantities of 
honey and lemon. The usual mixture is equal 
parts of honey and lemon juice, but this may 
be varied slightly according to individual pref- 
120 



Treatment of Coughs 


erences and effects. Some find that honey 
alone is very soothing. Whichever is used, 
it should be taken very slowly, about a half¬ 
teaspoonful at a time, thoroughly mixing it 
with saliva, and allowed to trickle slowly dow r n 
the throat. Take only what is necessary to 
relieve the throat irritation. 

Another soothing potion is flaxseed tea. 
This should be made fairly thick, and taken 
warm with a spoon rather than by drinking. 
It may be flavored with lemon or lemon and 
honey. This not only soothes the throat but 
assists the bowels. As much as desired may be 
taken. 

In a case of diphtheria, pineapple juice 
will be found very helpful. This is not sooth¬ 
ing, but since it helps to loosen the membrane 
and mucus it aids, in the end, in relieving the 
cough. This may be used in any condition 
where the mucus in the throat is very tenacious 
and hard to remove. Another measure of 
value in these cases is the swallowing alter¬ 
nately of hot water and ice. A few small swal¬ 
lows of hot water are followed immediately 
by the sucking of a small piece of ice or the 
swallowing of very small ice pellets. The 
121 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


rapid change from hot to cold alternately re¬ 
laxes and contracts the mucous membrane and 
thus helps to loosen abnormal secretions. 

Throat packs and compresses will be found 
of much assistance, not only for relieving the 
cough but also the pain due to the cough or 
the cause of the cough. Hot compresses gen¬ 
erally are preferred for pain or nerve tension. 
These may be made of any cloth, but flannel is 
the best. After folding or cutting to the 
proper size to fit the part affected, allowing 
for at least a few inches on all sides of the part 
immediately affected, the compress is wrung 
from hot water and applied over one layer of 
dry cloth. It should be renewed as soon as it 
begins to cool. The application of heat may 
be continued for ten to fifteen minutes. If 
there is much inflammation in the throat it 
would be better to use alternate hot and cold 
compresses, applying the hot for five minutes 
and the cold for half a minute or a minute. 
Where pressure is causing trouble cold com¬ 
presses may be used over the part where the 
pressure occurs, except in the case of spinal 
subluxations. The cold compress is applied in 
the same manner as the hot compress except 
122 



Treatment of Coughs 


for the difference in temperature, and is re¬ 
newed as often as necessary for half an hour. 

The cold pack, as described in the chapter 
on “Treatment of Colds” will be found to have 
the widest usage. It will be of value in al¬ 
most any form of cough and in all forms of 
throat irritation. Used persistently every 
night it will materially relieve even reflex 
coughs. Especially in tuberculosis of the 
larynx is it of value. Modified to suit 
the part, it may be applied to the region 
giving rise to the reflex cough, except in case 
of heart trouble, or aneurysm. Here it may 
be used both night and day, with a couple of 
hours rest each morning and evening. If the 
pack dries before time for the rest period it 
may be re-wet and applied again. This inten¬ 
sive application is advisable in any acute 
throat condition, especially if there is fever. 

In the cough of whooping cough the hot 
compresses over both throat and chest are val¬ 
uable to relieve paroxysms, the cold neck pack 
applied at night being serviceable to reduce 
inflammation. Alternate hot and cold com¬ 
presses completely around the neck are help¬ 
ful in diphtheria. 


123 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


Cough drops may be used moderately if it 
is inconvenient to secure the honey and lemon 
or the flaxseed tea. Too many cough drops 
will disturb the stomach, however, so they 
should be used only as an emergency measure. 

In any form of cough it is advisable to keep 
the throat and nose clean. Outside contami¬ 
nation can be avoided by insisting on pure 
fresh air at all times. This, admittedly, is 
difficult to procure in cities, however, so that 
spraying of the nose and throat may be neces¬ 
sary. Spraying and gargling both are of 
value in removing excessive mucous secretions 
and thus preventing coughs. Ordinary salt 
water and boric acid solution, lukewarm, are 
as good as anything to use, but any of the pro¬ 
prietary alkaline sprays may be employed. It 
is better to avoid the more powerful disin¬ 
fectants. The purpose of spraying and 
gargling is simple cleanliness rather than dis¬ 
infection. To attempt to keep the respiratory 
passages aseptic is a hopeless task, so antisep¬ 
tics are not particularly necessary or valuable. 
Spraying is done with a throat atomizer, which 
may be bought in any drug store. If the 
mucous membranes are very dry, an oil spray, 

124 



Treatment of Coughs 


such as the various combinations of eucalyp¬ 
tus, menthol, pine oil, etc., may be used. Nasal 
douches, with the douch cup, are excellent for 
temporarily clearing the nasal passages. One 
should not make the mistake of depending on 
sprays, douches, and gargles for a cure, how¬ 
ever. They are merely to give relief while 
the causes are being removed according to the 
methods already described. 

The same applies to all other “treatments” 
for coughs. Never lose sight of the fact that 
the primary necessity is to treat the disease 
which is causing the cough, which means 
changing the habits of living. Symptomatic 
treatment, while often of considerable assist¬ 
ance, never should be allowed to replace or 
overshadow constitutional treatment. 


125 



CHAPTER VII 


Treatment of Catarrh 
ATARRH, after it has become well de- 



veloped, is a condition that is not easy 
to eliminate. There are several reasons for 
this. The first is that a chronic condition like 
catarrh develops only after a prolonged period 
of bodily abuse, and no one can undergo such 
abuse without losing considerable vitality. 
Hence, all the functions of the body are slug¬ 
gish and the reaction to treatment poor. An¬ 
other reason is the prevalence of impure air 
and indoor occupations associated with civil¬ 
ized life. This makes it harder to cure catarrh 
in the city than in the country, and almost im¬ 
possible if one has to follow an occupation 
where he is subjected all day to an atmosphere 
laden with dust, smoke, or poisonous fumes. 
Even under the most adverse conditions, how¬ 
ever, it is possible to secure great relief, and 
there are few cases which cannot achieve a 


126 


Treatment of Catarrh 


cure if the patient is willing to do what is 
necessary. 

He must not be in a hurry, as a chronic dis¬ 
ease always takes time to remedy. This may 
be considered particularly true of catarrh, 
which is such a convenient method of securing 
extra elimination that the body often seems 
loathe to give it up. It gets the habit of 
eliminating in this way and must be trained 
to make greater use of the ordinary organs of 
depuration as their functional ability is in¬ 
creased by right living and a vitality-building 
regimen. It is simply a question of persistent, 
hopeful, confident use of the right measures. 

The medical treatment of catarrh consists 
almost entirely of local measures, and many 
people are surprised to find that these are 
placed in the background in the treatment by 
natural methods. The question is asked often, 
“Is not local treatment necessary?” The an¬ 
swer is, “No, it isn’t necessary. Various local 
measures, which will be described later on in 
this chapter, may be employed for temporary 
relief and for extra assistance to the body, but 
it is possible to get well without them. Since 
the disease is not due to local causes, as has 
127 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


been explained, local treatment will not cure 
it. In many cases the local medical treat¬ 
ment makes the condition worse instead of 
better, particularly when this consists of fre¬ 
quent unnecessary operations. Attempting to 
stop catarrh by purely local treatment is a 
good deal like trying to dry up a fountain by 
bailing water out of its basin. Natural meth¬ 
ods of healing, on the other hand, go to the 
very source of the trouble and remove that. 

The most important phase of the treatment 
by natural methods is the increase of vitality, 
because without this the organs cannot be 
brought even to ordinary functioning. Elimi¬ 
nation is the next important point, running a 
close second, because if the body cannot be 
relieved of some of its load of poisons it will 
be in no condition to build more vitality. Each 
depends on the other and each assists the 
other; but perhaps the increase in vitality is 
the more important, as this is required before 
the body can take advantage of the various 
stimulating measures that may be employed to 
increase elimination. Vitality is built by in¬ 
tensive use of right habits of living; elimina¬ 
tion is increased by fasting or fruit dieting 
128 



Treatment of Catarrh 


and by various uses of water which stimulate 
the eliminative organs. 

Diet .—Fasting or fruit dieting is used first 
because, while it does not build vitality and 
nerve energy, it saves these, and “a penny 
saved is a penny earned.” At the same time 
it gives the body an opportunity to eliminate 
the worst of the accumulated impurities. Be¬ 
ing then in a better condition to profit by all 
forms of treatment, one can proceed to build 
vitality in every way possible and use as much 
eliminative treatment as the general condition 
will warrant at the time. This should be a 
gradually increasing amount as the health im¬ 
proves. The usual regimen in the treatment 
of catarrh includes the following measures of 
treatment. 

A fast or fruit diet, for from seven to thirty 
days, takes off the bulk of the rubbish that 
underlies the catarrhal condition. The fast is 
used in cases which are overweight, in cases 
where the previous diet has been fairly well 
supplied with salts and vitamines, and when 
the patient does not have to work while taking 
treatment. Not that it is impossible to work 
while fasting—far from it; but it is not so 
129 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


pleasant to do so, requiring more energy and 
determination. The length of the fast will 
depend on the weight, strength, and confi¬ 
dence of the patient and on the symptoms 
which appear while fasting. If anything 
occurs which makes the patient feel that it 
would be dangerous to fast longer the fast 
should be terminated. Fasting never kills, but 
starvation or fright may. If the fast cannot be 
continued until all symptoms disappear, which 
is the real goal of the fast, a series of shorter 
periods of abstinence may be employed, re¬ 
peating as often as the weight will permit 
until the desired results are secured. During 
the fast from two to four quarts of water a 
day should be drunk, and an enema taken 
daily. All fasts are to be broken gradually, 
taking one or two days on acid fruit juices, 
the entire fruit, or vegetable broth, before 
starting whatever diet is to be followed after¬ 
ward. The fruit or fruit juice generally is 
used. 

While fasting always is of benefit in 
catarrh, it has been found that many cases 
secure just as good results from an acid fruit 
diet; therefore, this generally is recommended, 
130 



Treatment of Catarrh 


since it is easier to take. Most patients want 
the easiest and quickest methods of relief, and 
if there is any choice between the ease and the 
quickness they will take the ease. One of the 
strongest attractions of medical treatment is 
that it is so easy. It doesn’t require one to 
deny himself, but merely to “take this.” How¬ 
ever, the acid fruit diet has a special alkaliniz- 
ing effect upon the body, requires almost no 
digestion, and does not interfere with elimina¬ 
tion, so there is considerable reason besides 
ease for its use. It is particularly applicable 
in cases which are underweight and greatly 
lacking in vitality, in cases which have to do 
considerable work while taking treatment, 
where the patient is afraid of the absolute fast, 
and in the case of children. Where it is de¬ 
sired to approximate closely the fast the fruit 
juice alone is used, and even this may be di¬ 
luted with water. 

The method of taking the fruit diet has been 
described in the chapter on “Treatment of 
Colds.” The length of the diet depends on 
the same factors as the length of a fast, but 
in most cases it can be continued longer. It 
is not advisable to go over thirty days, how- 
131 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


ever, and most cases will not need this long. 
A series of short fruit diets, instead of one 
long one, may be used where necessary. Most 
cases will find that a ten-day fruit diet will 
he sufficient at the start and two or three days 
additional then can be taken every month until 
the desired results are secured. Food must be 
resumed gradually after a fruit diet, much the 
same as after a fast. 

The milk and fruit diet is excellent for use 
immediately after the fast or fruit diet. 
There are some physicians who object to the 
use of milk in cases of catarrh on the ground 
that it is a mucus-forming food. This con¬ 
veys the idea to the patient that the milk makes 
more mucus regardless of the bodily condi¬ 
tion; it gives the impression that milk is a 
cause of excess mucus. This is far from the 
facts. Mucus is composed largely of water 
and albumin, yet the excessive use of starchy 
foods and sweets will cause it to increase very 
quickly. This is because the formation of 
mucus depends not on the ingestion of certain 
food elements but on the need for elimination. 
If there is inflammation of the mucous mem¬ 
branes there will be more mucus regardless of 
132 



Treatment of Catarrh 


the diet. Of course, if one fasts, takes a fruit 
diet, or adopts the so-called “mucusless” diet 
of fruits and green vegetables the mucus will 
decrease, because the accumulation of impuri¬ 
ties which is its cause will be reduced by not 
being added to and by the extra elimination 
which such dieting permits. Yet the time 
must come when other foods will be needed in 
order to build up the body, for the “mucus¬ 
less” diet does not supply sufficient building 
and energy-producing elements for perma¬ 
nent use. No food equals milk in its building 
powers. 

If the body has not been thoroughly 
cleansed by fasting or a very limited diet be¬ 
fore the milk is adopted, the amount of mucus 
will increase; not because of the milk per se, 
but because the large amount of water in the 
milk helps to flush out the body and the large 
amount of nourishment stimulates all the 
bodily functions. As soon as all the toxins 
have been flushed out, the mucus will decrease 
even if the milk diet is continued, thus show¬ 
ing that the milk is not the cause of the mucus. 
Another point in favor of milk as a diet is that 
it is an alkalinizing as well as a building diet, 
133 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


and these are the things needed in overcoming 
the acidity and lack of vitality associated with 
catarrh. As most people will not fast or take 
a fruit diet long enough to cleanse the body 
thoroughly, the milk is needed to finish this 
cleansing and at the same time build up the 
body. About the only time when the milk diet 
is not indicated is when the patient still is 
overweight after his fruit diet or fast. 

I generally recommend the milk and acid 
fruit diet rather than milk alone, because the 
former is especially alkalinizing and favors 
bowel elimination. Then, too, many people 
cannot secure raw milk and have to use some 
fruit anyhow. The combination diet has the 
further advantage that it is easier to arrange 
and is not so monotonous. It is taken the 
same as the ordinary milk diet except that one 
quart of milk less per day is used and acid 
fruit is taken as desired. Oranges are best, 
but a mixture may be used if it agrees all 
right. When the larger quantity of fruit is* 
taken it usually is best to use it between the 
milk feedings rather than directly with the 
milk, though there is no marked objection to 
the latter plan and it may be followed if neces- 

134 




Treatment of Catarrh 


sary or if more convenient. The milk and 
fruit diet may be continued for from four to 
six weeks, depending on the need for extra 
weight and vitality and the rapidity with which 
these are gained. 

If the patient is overweight, a diet largely 
of fruit and vegetables is preferable to one of 
milk. This is the same as will be described 
below as the diet following the milk and fruit, 
except that the total quantity is limited to an 
amount that will permit gradual reduction, 
and an even larger proportion of raw fruits 
and vegetables is employed. After the weight 
reaches normal the variety and quantity of 
foods can be amplified to approximate that 
given below. 

The fruit and vegetable diet that is used 
after the milk and fruit diet is composed 
chiefly of raw fruits and green vegetables, with 
moderate amounts of other fruits and vege¬ 
tables, whole grain cereals, and dairy products. 
When changing from the milk to this diet the 
best plan is to take the milk and fruit for half 
a day and a meal of solid foods in the evening. 
Or two meals of milk and fruit may be taken 
and one of solid foods. After from three to 
135 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


seven days, regular meals may be resumed. 
Care always must be observed to avoid over¬ 
eating, and it may be necessary to give special 
attention to mastication, since it is not required 
to any great extent while on milk and fruit 
and one is inclined to get out of the habit of 
masticating as fully as is necessary. 

When taking milk for half a day no milk 
should be used with the evening meal. This 
meal should be composed of a good-sized raw 
vegetable salad; one cooked vegetable, either 
of the green or light starch variety; and a little 
sweet fruit for dessert. Some vegetable soup, 
cottage cheese, a few nuts, or buttermilk or 
some form of sour milk may be added after a 
few days. When ready to adopt regular meals 
again, breakfast may be composed of some 
fresh fruit and milk, with or without a bran 
or whole grain cereal with sweet fruit. Lunch 
should be of fruit only, fruit and a vegetable 
salad, fruit and buttermilk, or buttermilk and 
a vegetable salad. Dinner is the same as lunch 
except that a little whole wheat bread or Rye- 
krisp and butter may be added. This cereal 
product may be taken for lunch if omitted 
from dinner. In this case lunch may be of 
136 



Treatment of Catarrh 


whole grain bread and butter with a vegetable 
salad, or bread and butter with vegetable 
soup. If there is a particular desire for it, 
buttermilk may be used with dinner. As the 
condition still further improves other cereals 
such as whole corn bread, cold whole grain 
muffins, etc., may be added to the diet, and 
eggs used occasionally. Quantities employed 
at any meal depend upon the normal appetite. 
Never eat to repletion, and never eat without 
appetite. The menus suggested may appear 
very limited to many people, but it is these 
very persons who have been the most indulgent 
and prolific in their eating and who, therefore, 
need the strictest dietetic treatment if they 
want to eliminate their catarrh. As normal 
bowel activity is absolutely necessary for the 
correction of this trouble, the diet should be 
sufficiently laxative that there will be two or 
three evacuations daily. 

No matter what diet is employed after the 
fast or fruit diet, the diet of oranges only 
for two or three days a month should be ob¬ 
served just the same. This should be contin¬ 
ued until the health is restored to normal and 
may be continued indefinitely with benefit, as 
137 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


it serves as an excellent safety valve against 
overeating and other errors in diet, and helps 
to prevent disease, and to prolong life. 

If only a few days on fruit are taken at the 
start of treatment, an attempt should be made 
to extend this diet for a longer period after 
being on milk and fruit for two or three weeks. 
If even a ten-day period does not seem to give 
all the results desired, a similar period may be 
repeated three or four weeks after the first 
one. It should not be expected that one can 
eliminate a chronic catarrh by going on fruit 
for a day or two. One must make up his mind 
to devote as many days to this diet as nec¬ 
essary. 

Diet is an extremely important part of the 
treatment of catarrh and one would do well 
to give it careful attention; but there are 
other measures that also are very necessary, 
both for building vitality and improving elimi¬ 
nation. Probably the most important of these 
is fresh air and its necessary adjunct, deep 
breathing. Fresh air is of little value if one 
does not get plenty of it into his lungs. One 
should live as nearly as possible out of doors. 
An outside occupation is of much assistance, 
138 




Treatment of Catarrh 


particularly if it also calls for physical exer¬ 
tion, though if it is associated with much dust 
or smoke it would not be so favorable. If 
compelled to work inside, some plan for sleep¬ 
ing outdoors, or nearly so, should be adopted. 
This may be done in addition to working out¬ 
doors, as one cannot get too much fresh air. 
If a regular or improvised sleeping porch is 
not available there are a number of window 
tents on the market that permit one to sleep 
with the head at least in the open air. If the 
bedroom has windows on two or more sides 
and all of them are opened fully from top and 
bottom and the bed is placed in the line of 
air currents between these, a condition very 
closely approximating out of doors may be ob¬ 
tained, especially when there is a fair breeze 
blowing. In cold weather one will have to 
make the same provisions for warm covering 
as he would if he were sleeping outside. A 
sleeping bag is very good for use indoors as 
well as outdoors. 

Deep breathing may be practiced at any 
time of the day that is convenient, and as often 
as desired, though never so long at one time 
as to produce respiratory fatigue. The 

139 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


amount that can be taken without bringing on 
this condition will be found to increase with 
practice. If dizziness develops from the deep 
breathing it should cause no concern. It indi¬ 
cates that one is getting much of the necessary 
oxygen and a pronounced effect upon the cir¬ 
culation. The best time to do deep breathing 
is when exercising, because more of the avail¬ 
able oxygen will be absorbed; but some spe¬ 
cial breathing should be done in addition to 
this when one is suffering from catarrh. Spe¬ 
cial deep breathing always should be done 
through the nose. Even when exercising 
vigorously the breathing should be nasal as 
long as possible. Mouth breathing dries the 
mucous membranes and robs them of the pro¬ 
tection of the normal mucus. It also allows 
air to enter the lungs that has not been prop¬ 
erly cleansed, warmed, and moistened. Tem¬ 
porary mouth breathing during a short period 
of extreme exertion will do no particular 
harm, hut it is easy to fall into this habit when 
the nose is somewhat clogged with catarrhal 
excretions, so one should watch himself and 
check any tendency to neglect nasal breathing. 

For breathing exercises it is not particularly 
140 




Treatment of Catarrh 


necessary to use certain ones. The important 
thing is to fill the lungs fully and then empty 
them completely. Straining and “packing” 
the air into the lungs should be avoided; also 
holding the breath for more than a few sec¬ 
onds at a time. Some special exercises have 
been given in the chapter on “Treatment of 
Colds,” and others may be adapted from these 
or made up entirely to suit the patient. The 
rhythmic breathing already mentioned, which 
is used while walking, is of as much value for 
catarrh as for a cold. 

The importance of fresh air and deep 
breathing lies in the fact that oxygen is neces¬ 
sary to all the functions and all the tissues of 
the body. The more oxygen that can be 
secured and utilized the better will every part 
of the body work and the more perfectly will 
it be built and rebuilt. Oxygen is neces¬ 
sary also in the process of burning up the im¬ 
purities which accumulate in the body as a 
result of wrong habits of living and the by¬ 
products that result from tissue use and 
destruction. The lungs are powerful elimina¬ 
tors, and when working as they should they 
will be able to overcome considerable of the 

141 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


effects of bodily abuse. Fresh air and deep 
breathing are particularly necessary in res¬ 
piratory diseases. 

After making sure that the lungs are being 
adequately supplied with fresh, pure air, the 
next thing to which attention is given is the 
skin. The skin is capable of eliminating more 
impurities from within the body proper than 
any other depurating organ of the body and 
should never be overlooked in the treatment 
of any disease, but particularly catarrh, be¬ 
cause of the close relation between the skin 
and mucous membranes. This already has 
been explained. 

Baths of various kinds are valuable in 
catarrh. Air, dry-friction, sun, steam, light, 
hot-water, and cold-water baths all are serv¬ 
iceable and may be used, though usually they 
all are not necessary in a single case. The air, , 
dry-friction, and cold-water baths should be 
taken daily as already described in the chapter 
on “Treatment of Colds.” Sun-baths should 
be taken daily whenever possible. When 
neither these nor the mercury-quartz lamp 
treatments can be obtained a hot bath of some 
kind may be used twice a week until the condi- 
342 



Treatment of Catarrh 


tion becomes normal. This bath may be im¬ 
mersion in hot water or a cabinet bath by hot 
air, steam, or electric light. The hot immer¬ 
sion has been described. It is important to 
remember that all these baths—sun, artificial 
sun, and heat—are to be of no longer duration 
than necessary to secure a liberal perspiration 
or at least a good relaxation of the skin pores, 
and always are to be followed by an applica¬ 
tion of cold water in some form, usually a 
sponge or a spray. Persons unaccustomed to 
the use of cold water probably will shrink from 
it at first, but a little practice soon will permit 
them to enjoy it. 

The sun-baths are to be preferred to the 
hot baths because they not only improve the 
elimination through increase of perspiration 
but they also add energy to the body and im¬ 
prove internal nutrition and are, therefore, of 
great help in building vitality. Hot baths 
take away energy to some extent, but sun¬ 
baths bestow it. Because of the value of sun 
and air on the skin the clothing should be as ^ 
light and porous as is consistent with warmth. 
The bad effects of overclothing and overheat¬ 
ing of houses have been discussed elsewhere. 

143 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


Another very important factor in the treat¬ 
ment of catarrh is exercise. As has been 
pointed out earlier, it is of great importance 
to increase the vitality in every way possible, 
and unless regular exercise is taken this can¬ 
not be done. Rest should be observed one day 
a week, but on the other six days exercise 
should be taken faithfully, though the amount 
taken daily and the degree of energy exerted 
may fluctuate somewhat with the desire. 

In this connection I wish to call your atten¬ 
tion to the very great value of walking. It is 
almost a specific for catarrh. It takes one out 
in the open air, promotes deep breathing, gives 
one exercise, and gently but extensively stimu¬ 
lates all the eliminative functions of the body. 
Even a short walk is of value, but for catarrh 
I advise walks of five to fifteen miles. A walk 
of five miles can be taken daily, and one of 
fifteen miles at the week-end. These distances 
should be taken all in one stretch if the great¬ 
est benefit is to be secured. For catarrh, a 
walk of one mile, repeated five times, is not 
of as much value as one walk of five miles. 
Of course, walking takes a little time, but it 
is time well spent and one soon will grow to 
144 



Treatment of Catarrh 


enjoy his walk so much that he will not want 
to give it up. When walks of this length are 
used regularly, less other exercise may be taken 
without jeopardizing the health. 

If unaccustomed to walking it will be nec¬ 
essary to start with shorter distances in order 
to harden the feet and also the leg muscles, 
and perhaps to increase the general strength 
and vitality, especially when one is particu¬ 
larly low in these. It is surprising how much 
walking can he done, however, without tiring 
particularly. Even if one does feel quite 
weary after a walk he soon recuperates. This 
is proof of the special value of walking in in¬ 
creasing functional activity without great use 
of energy, and shows why it is so helpful in 
building vitality. If one’s occupation calls for 
considerable walking he need not take such 
long special walks, but can give more atten¬ 
tion to calisthenics and other exercises. All 
others who suffer from catarrh should take 
these long walks, even if considerable sacri¬ 
fice is required to spare the time. 

In addition to the walks general calisthenics 
are taken three days a week. This frequency 
should be increased to six times a week if the 
145 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


long walks are not used or are taken only ir¬ 
regularly. Special attention should be given 
to movements in a reclining position, because 
the walking and most of one’s other activities 
are taken in the upright position. The reclin¬ 
ing position also favors a better circulation 
through the respiratory passages. Many 
exercises for the spine can be taken in this 
position, and such movements are of great 
assistance in building vitality. The spinal 
nerves are distributed to all parts of the body 
and influence all its functions, so that the 
stimulating effect of exercise of the spine is 
felt throughout the entire organism. How¬ 
ever, any exercises will be of value and any 
movements may be taken. All sports and ac¬ 
tive games may be employed, but care is to be 
observed not to overdo. The exact amount of 
exercise that can be taken will depend upon 
the individual’s condition; but if one does not 
take so much exercise that the muscles tremble 
afterward or so that one does not feel rested 
after a normal night’s sleep, there is little dan¬ 
ger that one will overdo. “Begin moderately 
and increase gradually” is an important 
maxim to be observed in exercising. 

146 



Treatment of Catarrh 


Probably many patients will be disap¬ 
pointed to learn that there are no special move¬ 
ments that have a magic or specific effect in 
removing catarrh. It would be nice if one 
could take a few special exercises and get rid 
of all his troubles, but I am compelled to 
admit that I know of no exercises that will do 
this in a case of catarrh. The ones I am 
giving below, however, will serve as examples 
of the most beneficial type of exercises and 
will be found as effective as any. 

STANDING POSITION 

1. Clasp hands behind the head and drop 
the head forward; then draw the head back¬ 
ward against the resistance of the hands. 

2. Clasp hands on the forehead and drop 
the head backward; then draw the head for¬ 
ward against the resistance of the hands. 

3. Place the left hand on the right side of 
the head, the head over the left shoulder; then 
bend the head to the right against the resist¬ 
ance of the hand. Same to the other side, 
using the left hand. 

4. Circle the head left and right. 

5. Extend arms overhead; then circle the 

147 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


arms, describing small circles with the hands. 
Same with arms held sideward at shoulder 
height. Same, describing larger circles with 
the hands. Also, start with small circles and 
gradually enlarge them. 

6. Spread feet about a foot apart and ex¬ 
tend arms sideward at shoulder height; then 
rotate the body to the left, and alternate to the 
right. 

7. Place hands on hips; then circle the body 
from the hips, first to the left, then to the 
right. 

8. Kick forward and upward as far as pos¬ 
sible with the left leg, then with the right. 
Same to the side, and to the rear. 

9. Place the left foot forward (lunge posi¬ 
tion) and flex arms at the side; then bend for¬ 
ward, touching the hands to the floor, and 
return to upright position, again flexing the 
arms, then bring feet together and lower arms. 
When raising the body, lift strongly as though 
pulling something. Same with the right foot 
forward. 

10. In standing position with feet together, 
bend the knees until sitting on the heels. Re¬ 
turn to position. 


148 



Treatment of Catarrh 


RECLINING FACE-UP POSITION 

11. Keeping the arms at the sides, draw up 
the left knee, pressing the thigh tightly 
against the abdomen. Return to position and 
repeat with the other leg, alternating the two. 

12. Place the hands under the hips, then 
raise both legs to the vertical and describe 
small circles with the feet. 

13. Extend arms overhead; then raise both 
legs and touch the toes to the floor overhead. 

14. Extend arms overhead; then rise to a 
sitting position, touching the hands to the toes. 
At first throw the arms forward in the line of 
direction of the movement; later make the ab¬ 
dominal muscles do most of the exercise. 

15. Raise the knees, bringing the feet close 
to the hips but resting on the floor, and clasp 
hands behind the head; then raise and lower 
the hips. 

RECLINING FACE-DOWN POSITION 

16. Extend arms overhead; then raise the 
left arm and the right leg, lower, and repeat 
with the right arm and left leg. 

149 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


17. Extend arms sideward at right angles 
to the body; then raise the left arm as high 
as possible, twisting the body from the hips. 
Alternate with the right arm. 

18. Place the hands under the shoulders; 
then push the body up to arms’ length, keep¬ 
ing the hips rigid; then raise the hips, allowing 
the body to move backward and bending the 
head downward until the chin nearly touches 
the chest. Return to first position and repeat. 

SIDE-RECLINING POSITION 

19 . Support the body on the under arm, 
placing the other hand on the hip; then raise 
and lower the hips. Same on the other side. 

20. Extend the upper arm forward and the 
upper leg backward; then swing the arm back¬ 
ward and the leg forward, repeating contin¬ 
uously. Same on the other side. 

SPECIAL POSITIONS 

21. From a sitting position with knees 
drawn up and arms clasped round them, roll 
backward and forward. 

22. From kneeling position with hands 

150 




Begin with arms down. Raise arms shoulder height in 
front, taking a moderate breath. Then clench fists and 
quickly snap elbows back to sides, as shown, while com¬ 
pleting a full deep breath. Strike vigorously forward with 
both hands and exhale, completing the exhalation when 
lowering arms to sides. The movement may be varied by 
starting and completing each movement with arms hori¬ 
zontal, also with them overhead. 


151 







152 




Starting lying prone, elbows bent and palms flat on floor below shoulders, push up with arms until 
arms are straight, as shown, inhaling deeply. Lower body and exhale, and repeat several times. 

Keep the thighs flat on the floor. 








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153 


Relax, extend the leg, and repeat or alternate. Try the pressure both with full hreath and with 
exhaled breath. Raise both knees in the same movement, also. With a deep breath, hold 
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forward and "backward movement. 






Take a deep breath and bend over as shown, then force 
down upon the entire abdominal contents as when forcing 
tardy bowels to evacuate. Perform the same movement 
also with breath exhaled. Rise to sitting position between 
each two movements and breathe normally a time or two. 
This movement may be done several times daily, at home 
or in the office or elsewhere. The same intra-abdominal 
pressure may be applied standing. 

156 












This illustrates merely a form of exhaling. After having 
taken a deep breath and holding it only for the count of 
one or two, open the mouth and let all the air out of the 
lungs in one quick explosion. A good form of inhaling to 
use with this is “packing.” After taking a fair inhala¬ 
tion pause a second and take in a little more; pause again 
and then take in some more; and continue until a full 
breath has been taken. 

157 






Doubtless this will be a difficult exercise for many readers, 
though some will be able to perform it free from any wall. 
It is merely standing on the head, and as a movement may 
be done several times daily if convenient. Use the 
wall for a rest for the feet if necessary; it does not de¬ 
tract from the benefit of the inverted position. Do not 
hold the position long at a time, but repeat it several 
times when doing the exercise. 


158 


















The Stimulating Breath: After taking a deep breath, 
hold it for a few seconds while slapping the chest, front 
and sides, with the open palms. Then use the edges of 
the hands, also the closed fists but not with severe pound¬ 
ing. Using the open palms, slap the chest while bending 
from side to side, and in all movements continue slapping 
or beating while exhaling. Use the hands from upper 
chest to lower chest, as well as on the sides. 


159 






While continuing to inhale bring the head far back, resist¬ 
ing the movement with the hands. Relax the arms and 
neck and rop the head forward, exhaling ready for the 
next movement. 







Neck-Resisting Exercise: This is similar to my vitalizing 
exercise, except that the hands offer resistance, and the 
chin is brought down close to the chest at the start of each 
movement. Begin in the position as shown above. 

161 




Vibratory Exercises: From position shown, tense the arm* 
shoulder and chest muscles and vibrate the arms forward 
and backward. The hands should travel only a couple of 
inches or so. Vary the movement by holding the arms 
rigidly forward, palms down and vibrating up and down, 
and then with palms inward, vibrating in and out, and the 
same movement arms out to sides 

162 







Vibratory Exercises: Taking the position shown, stiffen 
the entire body and vibrate the trunk forward and back 
ward over a very short distance. This will be difficult, 
but the attempt will be helpful. After three or four 
seconds relax, then repeat. 


163 

















164 


Lying relaxed with arms down at sides, raise arms overhead slowly while taking a deep breath 
through puckered lips. Lower the arms slowly while exhaling through the closed lips. Breathe 
deeply each time, and stretch the body from fingers to toes with each deep breath. Relax after 
several movements, then repeat; then relax and breathe normally a few times. 







The Resistive Breath: Cover one nostril with the finger 
and breathe deeply in and out through the other nostril. 
Alternate between a series of rapid respirations and sev¬ 
eral slow ones. Then occlude the other nostril. Breathe 

deeply. 


165 







Resistive Breath: With the lips puckered, breathe in and 
out, deeply, through the mouth, of course. Try slow 
breathing for a while, then gradually more rapid. A pipe 
stem or hollow reed or glass rod may be used if desired, 
but it must be small. Also take a deep breath, close lips 
and nostrils, and for two or three seconds blow without 
blowing out. This latter and all movements causing a rush 
of blood to the head are to be avoided if there is marked 
high blood pressure. 

166 







Treatment of Catarrh 


clasped behind the head, bend the body for¬ 
ward and touch the head to the floor. 

23. From position on “all fours,” lower the 
head until it rests on a cushion placed on the 
floor; then while supporting part of the weight 
of the body on the head move it backward and 
forward and from side to side. 

24. From position on “all fours,” bring one 
leg forward, then the other, alternating the 
two with a running movement. 

25. Do a hand-stand a number of times, 
resting the feet against a wall if necessary. 

Repeat each of these exercises several times. 
Head movements may be repeated from ten 
to twenty times, heavier exercises from five to 
ten times, more or less according to strength, 
energy, and time. 

These are but some of the many exercises 
that may be used, and the patient should soon 
be able to figure out variations and additions 
of his own so as to avoid monotony. A con¬ 
stant effort to do the exercises better and to 
improve one’s form will make the exercises 
more beneficial and also aid in maintaining in¬ 
terest. All the exercises given need not be 
taken at one time, but some from each group 
167 



Colds, Coughs and CaTx\rrh 


should be used. As the strength improves it 
should be possible to take all of them and to 
increase gradually the number of times each 
one is performed. 

After having exercised one must secure an 
adequate amount of rest and sleep in order to 
recuperate the energy and tissue loss resulting 
from activity. When allowed proper repose 
the body not only w ill replace the amount lost 
but will add a little more, so that by gradually 
increasing the activity one can gradually in¬ 
crease his surplus and thus gain more vitality. 
The actual number of hours of sleep required 
will vary with different individuals. This is 
because some relax better than others, and 
some have more vitality to start with than 
others. Some people can secure more benefit 
from mere relaxation than others can from 
sleep, because the latter fail to relax. 

The two most important factors in proper 
sleeping are relaxation and fresh air. After 
retiring at night go over the entire body sev¬ 
eral times to be sure that every muscle is re¬ 
laxed. Then relax the mind by refusing to 
give the attention to any thought which enters. 
Make the mind as nearly as possible a blank. 

168 




Treatment of Catarrh 


This quickly will induce sleep of the soundest, 
most restful character. One cannot take his 
troubles to bed with him and secure the best 
results from sleep. Troubles will be found to 
be most unpleasant bedfellows, so dispose of 
them before retiring. 

If for any reason you are unable to sleep, 
perfect relaxation of mind and body largely 
will take its place. It is very seldom, however, 
that one who knows how to relax perfectly will 
lie awake if he wishes to sleep. Such a person 
can sleep anywhere, any time—sitting, lying, 
or even standing—and under the most adverse 
circumstances. Of course, in order to relax 
perfectly one must assume a comfortable posi¬ 
tion. Some will find one position better than 
another, but any position which cramps the 
chest should be avoided. As a rule the best 
position is nearly prone (face down), the left 
arm being drawn up sufficiently to lift the 
chest, the left leg drawn up to prevent rolling 
on the face, and the face being turned to the 
left. This position has a number of advan¬ 
tages, one being that one is not likely to roll 
over on the back. Sleeping on the back par- 
ticularlv is to be avoided in catarrh because in 
169 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


this position one is almost certain to 
breathe through the mouth. If inclined to 
breathe through the mouth anyhow, the jaw 
can be tied shut with a cloth extending over 
the head. 

Fresh air while asleep is necessary not only 
because it aids relaxation and gives greater 
results for a given number of hours, but for all 
the other reasons mentioned in the paragraphs 
on the use of deep breathing. It is well for 
most people to sleep eight hours unless they 
have definite proof that they do not require 
so much. When suffering from catarrh or 
any other disease more than eight hours can 
be spent in sleep to advantage, at least for the 
first few weeks of treatment. 

There is one more factor in the general 
treatment of catarrh that should be given at¬ 
tention. This is right thinking. In the chap¬ 
ter on “Causes” I have shown how wrong 
thinking can interfere with every function of 
the body. Here I will make some suggestions 
on how to think rightly. First, assume a con¬ 
fident, calm, and hopeful mental attitude. 
There is no doubt that you can get well if you 
do what is necessary, so there is no need for 
170 



Treatment of Catarrh 


worry, doubt, or discouragement. Then make 
up a number of encouraging thoughts, mem¬ 
orize them, and repeat them whenever you 
think of them. If you find yourself at any 
time thinking wrong thoughts, immediately 
repeat a number of these good thoughts or 
repeat a favorite one over and over, and you 
will turn the attention from the bad ones. 
This requires only a little effort of will and a 
little practice and will be of great value on 
many occasions. In fact, this ability is in 
many ways the key to self-mastery. A few 
examples of thoughts which may be substi¬ 
tuted in this way follow. 

“I am calm and in perfect control of all my 
faculties.” 

“I am strong and unafraid.” 

“I am working with the life force in my 
body, which is constantly striving to make me 
healthy.” 

“Right thinking cannot fail to result in 
health.” 

“God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the 
world.” 

Many others can be formulated according 
to the patient’s need, and can be couched in 

171 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


scientific or religious terms according to his in¬ 
clinations. 

Another form of autosuggestion which is 
very helpful may be practiced just before go¬ 
ing to sleep. This consists in instructing the 
body what you wish it to do during the night. 
First relax perfectly, then repeat what you 
want done, then trust the body to do it. Even 
if the results do not appear very promising at 
first this cannot fail to be of assistance. The 
bodily functions are under the control of the 
so-called “unconscious mind.” It is this part 
of the mind which operates the body while we 
sleep, and it is very suggestible. When we 
consciously instruct the unconscious we are 
giving it suggestion. It usually takes con¬ 
siderable practice to get very positive results, 
but the fact that many people are able to 
awake at a certain time by previously deter¬ 
mining to do so is proof that it is possible to 
instruct the unconscious through the conscious 
mind. If the unconscious mind can keep time 
—and frequently it does so by arousing the 
individual at the desired time, perhaps regu¬ 
larly—it certainly can do other things as well. 

Still another use of the mind in healing is to 
172 




Treatment of Catarrh 


visualize. See yourself as perfectly healthy 
and doing the things you want to do. For 
best results he sure these things are worthy 
things, while letting the mind do its share, and 
do not fail to w T ork to bring them about. 

Anyone who doubts the value of such men¬ 
tal treatment in such an apparently wholly 
physical abnormality as catarrh has only to try 
it conscientiously to be convinced. 

In addition to the more active general meas¬ 
ures just discussed, due attention should be 
given to the more passive but just as necessary 
measures, such as avoidance of tobacco, alco¬ 
hol, drugs, sexual abuse, and other bad habits. 
Even the most perfectly planned system of 
fasting, diet, exercise, etc., will fail if it is con¬ 
stantly being nullified by such abuses. As 
these are among the possible causes of catarrh 
they must he removed, because as long as even 
one cause remains one cannot expect perfect 
results. 

We now come to a consideration of the local 
treatment of catarrh. As in the case of 
coughs, cleanliness is here the chief factor. 
The nose or nose and throat may be sprayed 
with salt water several times a day, in order 
173 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


to assist in the elimination of the excess mucus 
and to clean out any accumulated dirt which 
would be irritating to the already inflamed 
membranes. In the case of atrophic catarrh 
an oil spray may be used, since there is little 
or no mucus, the membranes being abnormally 
dry. A little petroleum jelly placed in the 
nose may be of some assistance. In ordinary 
catarrh, stimulating applications, such as men¬ 
thol and its various combinations, may be used 
occasionally to give relief from the obstructed 
breathing; but such applications should be 
used as little as possible, and under no circum¬ 
stances should one expect them to cure the 
trouble or take the place of the constitutional 
treatment just described. Local treatment is 
strictly symptomatic and designed only to give 
temporary relief. Positively no ointments 
containing opiates should be used. 

Operations for one thing or another fre¬ 
quently are recommended by medical doctors 
for catarrh. If one has a septum which is de¬ 
flected so badly as to interfere considerably 
with breathing it may be advisable to have it 
operated upon. Large polypi and adenoids 
also can be removed in order to secure quick 

174 



Treatment of Catarrh 


relief, though osteopathic “finger surgery” 
often will make it possible to avoid the knife. 
Operations for enlarged turbinates very sel¬ 
dom are necessary, as often the enlargement is 
merely a thickening of the membranes, which 
can be reduced by proper treatment. The de¬ 
flected septum may be a partial cause, and its 
removal to this extent curative; but operations 
for the other conditions named are not cura¬ 
tive but merely give some relief, as does other 
local treatment. Abnormal growths in the 
nasal passages are not causes of catarrh; they 
are results of this disease or of the causes of 
the disease, and may be avoided by living 
rightly. 

The value of climate in catarrh was dis¬ 
cussed in the chapter on “Causes.” If you 
wish to secure every possible advantage of en¬ 
vironment in your treatment it is all right to 
go to a moderately high dry climate, but this 
should not be considered absolutely necessary. 
Such a climate is pleasant, stimulating, and 
palliative to symptoms, so that it has a good 
effect on the mental attitude. If one intends 
to come back to his former climate it often is 
just as well not to leave in the first place, as 
175 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


one may find that his symptoms reappear upon 
his return and he may be inclined to get dis¬ 
couraged. But this is because he was not 
really fully cured. By continuing treatment 
the symptoms will disappear. 

The main dependence in the treatment of 
catarrh always should be placed on the con¬ 
stitutional treatment, placing local treatment 
second, and climate last. And as I have said 
before, time is an important factor. Vitality 
must be increased and accumulated toxins 
must be eliminated, and the patient must make 
up his mind to pay the price in time and effort. 
And after all, is not health worth any price? 


176 



CHAPTER VIII 


Complications of Colds, Coughs and 
Catarrh, and their Treatment 

F OR the purpose of this discussion a com¬ 
plication shall be considered an increase, 
elaboration, spread, or change of symptoms 
which develop because the causes of the origi¬ 
nal condition have not been removed or be¬ 
cause the accumulation of toxins was so great 
that the first eliminative effort was insufficient 
to remove them even with proper treatment. 
Another possible cause is improper treatment, 
which makes a had condition worse. A com¬ 
plication may be an increase or change in 
symptoms at the same point as the original 
abnormality, or it may he a spread of the same 
symptoms to or development of different 
symptoms in some other locality, usually ad¬ 
jacent but sometimes remote. Inflammatory 
conditions, such as colds and catarrh, are par¬ 
ticularly likely to spread to parts anatomically 
177 


Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


related to those first affected. In any case, a 
complication is a further abnormality which 
renders the whole condition more grave and 
the prognosis less favorable. 

There are few if any diseases which can de¬ 
velop more complications, if neglected or im¬ 
properly treated, than colds, coughs, and 
catarrh. This is because they generally are the 
first indication that more impurities are col¬ 
lecting in the body than can be taken care of 
by the ordinary eliminative efforts. If this 
warning is not heeded and the poisons con¬ 
tinue to collect, it is only to be expected that 
the condition will go from bad to worse. No 
bodily abnormality ever stands still; it either 
grows better or worse. 

The multiplicity of possible complications 
is a strong reason for giving more attention to 
colds, coughs, and catarrh than they usually 
receive. These conditions are so common that 
we often are inclined to minimize their im¬ 
portance and to feel that they soon will correct 
themselves. Colds sometimes do, as they are 
acute in nature (at least the symptoms may 
disappear without particular treatment) ; but 
catarrh never does. It may change into some- 

178 



Complications and their Treatment 


thing else—that is, a different name may be 
applied to the change in symptoms; but the 
real condition always will remain unless some¬ 
thing definite is done to correct it. Even in 
the case of a cold it is seldom that more than 
one, and a light one at that, will completely 
disappear without treatment. In most cases 
untreated colds degenerate into catarrh. 

COMPLICATIONS OF COLDS 

As all parts of the body are connected either 
directly or indirectly, it is easy to see how an 
abnormal condition in one part may spread to 
another; and it is necessary only to follow 
along the line of anatomical relationship to 
determine to a considerable extent what these 
conditions will be. As I have just mentioned, 
a cold is an acute condition; and if it is neg¬ 
lected and the accumulation of toxins is 
fairly large, so that larger areas of mucous 
membrane are required for elimination, the 
symptoms may spread to the throat, when it 
is called pharyngitis; or to the tonsils, when 
it is named tonsillitis; or to the larynx, when 
we have laryngitis; or to the bronchi, when we 
have bronchitis; all these conditions being in 
179 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


the acute form to match the cold. If it goes 
still further we may have pneumonia, pleurisy, 
or influenza, as the lungs, pleura, or general 
system become affected. 

If, instead of spreading downward, the cold 
travels upward, we may have an acute inflam¬ 
mation of the lining membrane of the eye— 
conjunctivitis; or of the sinuses—sinusitis; or 
if it goes through the Eustachian tubes we 
may have inflammation of the middle ear— 
otitis media; or ear abscess or mastoiditis may 
develop. In almost all the conditions thus far 
named there is very apt to be a swelling of 
the lymph glands and tissues, particularly the 
pharyngeal and palatine tonsils and the glands 
in the neck. 

In young children a cold may lead to croup; 
and in children of any age, or even in adults, 
whooping cough or diphtheria may develop if 
there are enough of these germs around to 
start a flourishing colony in the phlegm that 
is being formed or in the weakened tissues. 

We might follow the progress of the cold 
through many other parts of the body; but 
enough of the most likely complications have 
been named in order to impress upon you that 
180 




Complications and their Treatment 


a cold is not always such a simple matter, and 
that once started it may lead to anything if 
not properly treated, which is another proof 
of the unity of disease. 

A detailed description of the symptoms of 
the possible complications of colds is hardly 
necessary here. Nevertheless, it will be of 
assistance to discuss them to some extent in 
order that one may be able to recognize the 
warning signs and take the necessary steps to 
prevent further trouble. 

In general, it may be said that if all the 
symptoms appear to be growing worse one 
may assume that complications or sequelae 
are on the way. In the case of the cold, if a 
well-defined fever develops, if there is an 
aching throughout the body, or if sharp pains 
are felt in the head, neck, or chest one had best 
adopt more strict treatment at once—for the 
cold; that is, for the entire body as these signs 
may indicate the approach of influenza, pneu¬ 
monia, pleurisy, laryngitis, quinsy, sinusitis, 
otitis media, etc. 

complications of catarrh 

Catarrh very often follows a partly or im- 
181 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


properly treated cold, but it is more of a 
sequel than a complication. In fact, catarrh 
is simply a chronic cold. The complications 
of catarrh are, therefore, mostly chronic in 
nature. The same parts may be affected as 
when complications of a cold appear, and we 
may have chronic pharyngitis, laryngitis, 
bronchitis, sinusitis, or conjunctivitis. When 
the tonsils are affected chronically they be¬ 
come enlarged and sometimes infected. In 
long-standing cases they may finally decrease 
in size and become imbedded. Chronic catarrh 
of the ear usually leads to head noises and 
deafness, usually slow in development. 
Chronic catarrh of the nose often produces 
adenoids, polypi (small tumors), and en¬ 
larged turbinate bones. When the small as 
well as the large bronchial tubes are affected, 
asthma is very likely to develop. Tubercu¬ 
losis much more often follows a chronic catarrh 
than a cold. The interference with breathing 
produced by the “stopped up” nose and pos¬ 
sibly, also, the enlarged turbinates and ade¬ 
noids, the breeding places for germs provided 
by the abnormal mucus and often by the en¬ 
larged tonsils, the lowering of the vitality be- 
182 



Complications and their Treatment 


cause of the delayed purification of the body 
and the extra nervous energy used, all pave 
the way for the development of “the Great 
White Plague.’’ The very fact that the 
catarrh continues shows that the wrong habits 
of living are being continued, and it is only to 
be expected that something worse eventually 
may develop. 

A chronic condition, such as catarrh, also 
is more inclined to spread to remote parts of 
the body than is an acute condition, such as a 
cold. Very often a catarrh of the stomach, 
called gastritis, or of the intestines, called en¬ 
teritis, will develop. In the case of women 
the reproductive organs may be affected, and 
metritis (inflammation of the uterus) and leu- 
corrhea (vaginal catarrh) produced. These 
are not always a direct complication of the 
nasal and throat catarrh, but they arise to a 
considerable extent from the same fundamen¬ 
tal causes and are, therefore, much more likely 
to develop when catarrh in the nose already is 
present. It is largely a matter of the site 
chosen by the body for the work of elimina¬ 
tion, and this depends on local and individual 
conditions. 


183 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


The symptoms of catarrh complications 
may be any of the following: If a full feeling 
in the ear develops and there is difficulty in 
hearing, involvement of the Eustachian tube 
or middle ear may be anticipated. If a cough 
develops and becomes increasingly noticeable 
and there is a scratchy sensation behind the 
breast bone, there is considerable chance of 
bronchitis. This also may lead to asthma. If 
the cough is accompanied by loss of weight 
and strength, shortness of breath, and slight 
fever, tuberculosis may be suspected. If 
breathing through the nose becomes increas¬ 
ingly difficult without any increase in the 
amount of mucus, enlarged turbinates, ade¬ 
noids, or polypi may be developing. When 
remote parts of the body are affected the 
symptoms are the same as those of catarrh in 
the nose except as regards location and some 
slight differences due to anatomical or physio¬ 
logical variations in the parts. 

COMPLICATIONS OF COUGHS 

Since a cough is only a symptom one would 
not expect it to have many or any complica¬ 
tions, but it does. When long continued or 

184 



Complications and their Treatment 


very violent it may produce some very uncom¬ 
fortable and even serious complications. A 
cough is a special form of violent expiration 
and requires considerable nerve energy, mus¬ 
cle tension, and air pressure. 

Because of the frequently repeated violent 
expirations which produce considerable move¬ 
ment of and pressure against the abdominal 
and pelvic organs, the muscles, tendons, and 
ligaments supporting these organs may be¬ 
come weakened and stretched so that the or¬ 
gans drop below their normal position, when 
we have the condition called prolapsus or vis¬ 
ceroptosis. This, in turn, greatly interferes 
with normal function of the parts and may 
produce a long train of ills. If the lower 
abdomen becomes more prominent, gas de¬ 
velops easily, and digestive disturbances are 
noticeable, prolapsus probably has occurred. 
Anyone who has coughed much for any length 
of time is certain to have some ptosis unless 
special measures have been employed to pre¬ 
vent it. 

If the abdominal muscles are especially 
weak or the abdominal rings are not perfectly 
closed the above-named conditions may give 
185 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


rise to a hernia or rupture. In fact, a single 
violent fit of coughing may do this even when 
the coughing itself is not due to disease but 
to choking on some foreign object. Many 
cases of hernia have been produced, aggra¬ 
vated, or reproduced, probably after surgical 
correction, in this way. The likelihood of the 
development or approach of rupture is mani¬ 
fested by a sharp pain in the lower abdomen 
during a paroxysm of coughing. If the pain 
is accompanied by localized swelling in the 
groin, rupture already has occurred. 

Due to the same reasons that produce the 
prolapsus and because of the pressure from 
the prolapsus itself, the circulation through 
the blood-vessels of the rectum may be inter¬ 
fered with to such an extent that hemorrhoids 
are produced. Hemorrhoids are simply vari¬ 
cose (or dilated) veins or capillaries in the 
rectum. This condition is rendered still more 
likely because of constipation, which always 
is present to some extent when there is a con¬ 
dition producing a chronic cough. Hemor¬ 
rhoids may give rise to pain, itching, or 
bleeding, though they are sometimes present 
even when no noticeable symptoms are felt. 

186 



Complications and their Treatment 


A condition of aggravated hemorrhoids, or 
one that may be distinct from hemorrhoids, is 
prolapse of the rectum, which may protrude 
for some distance through the anal orifice. 

During coughing there is a considerable rise 
in blood pressure, because of the muscular ef¬ 
fort and the changes in air pressure. If one 
already has hardening of the arteries or high 
blood pressure from some other cause, one of 
the smaller blood-vessels in the brain may rup¬ 
ture, producing a “stroke” of apoplexy. This 
is not likely to occur except in cases which al¬ 
ready are complicated by some circulatory 
disturbance, but for this very reason such 
cases should observe particular care to prevent 
or immediately treat all coughs. 

Another possible complication of chronic 
coughing is emphysema. This is a dilation of 
the air cells in the lungs, and is produced by 
the increased pressure of the air during the 
cough, together with a weakened condition of 
the air-cell walls arising fundamentally from 
the same causes which produced the cough. 
These factors cause the air-cell walls to stretch 
and become very thin. Sometimes they break 
and several air cells coalesce. This is espe- 
187 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


daily prone to develop when the cough is due 
to asthma. Almost all cases of chronic 
asthma have some degree of emphysema, and 
this may be so extensive as to be quite serious. 
In all cases it produces much discomfort and 
difficulty in breathing, particularly on slight 
exertion. As disturbance in the rhythm of 
breathing is a fundamental cause of asthma, 
coughing may lead to the development of this 
disease. 

Everyone is familiar with the red face and 
congested eyes of one who has just coughed 
violently. This extra blood pressure in the 
eyes may produce a chronic inflammation or 
may even distort the eye sufficiently to pro¬ 
duce an error of refraction. In any case, there 
is almost certain to be some soreness and 
weakness produced, and considerable lacrima- 
tion (flow of tears). If the arteries are weak, 
coughing may rupture a blood-vessel in the 
eye, causing temporary or permanent blind¬ 
ness. 

In addition to producing specific conditions, 
such as have just been named, coughing may 
affect the general health through the loss of 
nerve energy. Anyone who has had a chronic 
188 



Complications and their Treatment 


cough, particularly if it has been fairly vio¬ 
lent, will testify that it is very exhausting. 
After a paroxysm one is left panting and 
partly prostrated. Even a rather mild cough 
will use up a lot of valuable energy that is 
needed for other purposes, and since anyone 
in a condition to develop a cough already is 
lacking in nerve energy to some extent the 
loss becomes doubly serious. One should not 
assume from this, however, that suppressive 
measures are to be used for the cough. The 
proper thing to do is to remove the cause, 
using partial suppression only in case of dire 
necessity. 

While I have felt it advisable to point out 
some of the possible complications of colds, 
coughs, and catarrh, in order that my readers 
may have a proper appreciation of the im¬ 
portance of prompt and proper treatment, I 
would not have anyone become worried or 
thrown into a panic by supposing that all these 
troubles may descend on anyone who has a 
cold. The majority of colds are readily reme¬ 
died by a short period of strict treatment, and 
when really eliminated by natural methods 
and not suppressed by drugs there is no reason 
189 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


to fear the development of any further 
trouble. In fact, the general health is bene¬ 
fited by the extra elimination of the cold and 
the proper treatment for it. By careful at¬ 
tention to right living further colds may be 
prevented and all possibility of complications 
removed. 

It then depends entirely upon the patient 
whether he has complications or good health, 
and none but the foolish will have any trouble 
in making the choice. Unfortunately there 
are many who are still foolish, and to all such 
I say, “Take warning!” 

TREATMENT OF COMPLICATIONS 

A consideration of the treatment of com¬ 
plications must necessarily be brief in a book 
of this kind, since it is chiefly intended for 
colds, coughs, and catarrh. But, after all, the 
treatment of complications does not differ 
Very widely from that of the original condi¬ 
tion, for in most cases the complication is only 
an intensification or elaboration of the first 
disease. In the case of coughs, however, com¬ 
plications of a rather widely different charac- 
190 



Complications and their Treatment 


ter may develop and these will be considered 
more fully. 

TREATMENT OF COLD COMPLICATIONS 

The complications of a cold are mostly acute 
inflammations of the structures adjacent to 
the nose. The treatment is very similar to 
that for a cold except that the absolute fast is 
used or the orange diet is continued longer, 
and more rest should be secured. The cold 
neck pack may be changed to a cold chest 
pack if the bronchi or lungs become affected. 
In a case of pleurisy a hot-water bag should be 
applied and the chest strapped with adhe¬ 
sive plaster. If the tonsils become inflamed 
the pack may be placed about the front of the 
neck and up under the ears instead of all the 
way round the neck. If the eyes are affected, 
alternate hot and cold bathing usually is bet¬ 
ter than packs. Eye rest is to be observed. 
If the larynx is affected it is better not to use 
the voice. In most cases the prompt adoption 
of the fast, together with water drinking, 
enemas, and fresh air, soon will reduce the 
condition to a point where it can be treated as 
an ordinary cold. 


191 




Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


TREATMENT OF CATARRH COMPLICATIONS 

The treatment of complications of catarrh 
is also very similar to that of the original con¬ 
dition. In fact, some of the complications are 
no more than catarrh of another part. If the 
eyes become affected they should receive as 
much rest as possible. If there is a purulent 
discharge boric acid water may be employed 
to bathe them. If the ears become so involved 
as to produce deafness, the use of jaw exer¬ 
cises and spinal treatments is particularly 
indicated. In exercising the jaw, simply move 
and stretch it in all directions. Widely open¬ 
ing the mouth against resistance of a hand 
under the jaw is a very good exercise. 

Sunlight in the throat is helpful when the 
tonsils are affected. If adenoids and polypi 
develop, interfering seriously with breathing, 
their removal by surgery may be advisable in 
order to secure quick relief. This is only nec¬ 
essary in extreme cases, however. “Finger 
surgery” by a capable osteopath frequently 
is as quickly effective. Operations on the tur¬ 
binate bones seldom are advisable or neces- 
192 



Complications and their Treatment 


sary. When the stomach and intestines are 
affected the absolute fast should be used in¬ 
stead of the orange diet. If leucorrhea ap¬ 
pears all local irritation should be avoided and 
strict cleanliness observed. Alternate hot and 
cold sitz baths also are of great value, their 
duration to be approximately three minutes in 
the hot and one in the cold, making two 
changes. The cold always is to be used as the 
final bath. 

If the catarrh should develop into asthma, 
the practice of relaxation should be given par¬ 
ticular attention. If one can develop the 
power of relaxing at will, he will have control 
of acute attacks. During such attacks the hot 
foot bath and hot hand bath, hot chest and 
spinal compresses, and spinal treatments also 
are helpful; but particular attention should be 
given to relaxing. The ten-day orange diet is 
repeated as often as necessary, always using 
the milk and acid fruit diet between such diets 
unless the patient is much overweight, in which 
case the diet should be mainly of fruits and 
green vegetables. Walking and fresh air 
should receive particular attention. 

If unfortunately one has neglected his 
193 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


catarrh to such an extent that tuberculosis has 
developed, the treatment must be considerably 
different. The main points of the treatment 
I recommend are short orange diets of from 
one to three days each, repeated every five, six 
or eight weeks, with the milk diet between 
these periods, fresh air day and night, sun¬ 
baths, air and dry friction baths, cool baths 
with reduction of temperature every few days 
until one can take fully cold baths, and rest. 
After definite signs of improvement have ap¬ 
peared walking is adopted, the lengths of the 
walks to be gradually increased, and, in time 
the speed increased from a leisurely stroll to a 
stimulating stride. 

In the case of asthma and tuberculosis the 
condition has progressed so far beyond mere 
catarrh that it is advisable to secure detailed 
directions for treatment, such being out of 
place in this book. 

TREATMENT OF COUGH COMPLICATIONS 

The most common complication of a per¬ 
sistent cough is prolapsus of the abdominal or 
pelvic organs. In order to prevent this, every 
person who has a persistent cough should give 

194 




Complications and their Treatment 


special attention to abdominal exercises in a 
reclining position and should assume the knee- 
chest position for five minutes several times a 
day. In conditions where exercise is contra¬ 
indicated, the knee-chest position alone will 
have to be depended upon, or walking about 
the room on the hands and feet. Even one 
who is accustomed to exercise and who 
has fairly well-developed abdominal muscles 
would do well to observe these precautions. 
Any exercise that brings the abdominal 
muscles into use may be employed. A number 
will be found in the chapter on “Treatment 
of Catarrh.” The knee-chest position has 
been described elsewhere. 

If prolapsus has developed before treat¬ 
ment is adopted the same measures are em¬ 
ployed, except that the exercises are taken on 
a slanting board and are followed by a cold 
sitz bath for one minute. A slanting board 
may be improvised by placing an ironing 
board with one end on a chair seat or side of a 
bed or trunk, and the other on the floor. The 
patient lies head down, the feet being secured 
with a strap for the body-raising movements. 
A particularly beneficial movement, whether 
195 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


lying, standing, or walking, is drawing in the 
abdomen as far as possible. This may be done 
without regard to breathing, or it may be 
done while holding for a very few seconds a 
fully inhaled breath and a fully exhaled 
breath. 

The more serious condition of hernia, which 
also may result from a cough, is treated by the 
exercises on the slanting board, the cold sitz 
baths or local cold cloths, and by the use of a 
truss or suitable support. Exercises are taken 
in the face-up and side-lying positions and 
should be fairly strenuous. Of course, if one 
is not accustomed to exercise it is well to begin 
gradually. The hernia is held constantly in 
position with the truss except during exer¬ 
cises, as it must never be allowed to protrude. 
During the exercises the fingers hold the 
hernia in position. After the abdominal 
muscles have been well developed, the opening 
has had a chance to close, and the cough has 
become cured, the truss may be discarded 
gradually. One precaution in exercising for 
hernia is never to raise the straight legs di¬ 
rectly upward when lying on the back. Al¬ 
ways bend the knees at least slightly, and it is 
196 



Complications and their Treatment 


better to bring the leg slightly to one side 
when bringing them over the body for various 
movements in that position. 

The chief modifications of treatment when 
hemorrhoids develop from a cough are that a 
solid food diet, containing plenty of raw 
foods, is preferred to the milk diet, and cold 
sitz baths should be used daily. The slanting 
board (gravity) exercises also can be used to 
advantage. Warm rectal irrigations often are 
of value. These are taken the same as an 
enema except that the water is allowed to run 
out as fast as it runs in. A special irrigation 
tube may be secured if desired. Frequently 
hot rectal irrigations give more prompt re¬ 
lief. Either the warm or hot irrigations 
should be followed by a very short cold appli¬ 
cation. 

If high blood pressure is present it is espe¬ 
cially important to limit the quantity of food 
used, in order to prevent the possibility of 
apoplexy occurring during a coughing par¬ 
oxysm. The amount of food that can be taken 
will vary in different cases, but always should 
be as small as will maintain ordinary weight 
and strength. Considerable rest should also 
197 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


be secured, as this often lessens the severity 
of a cough. 

Cold eye baths will help to prevent and 
ameliorate congestion of the eyes resulting 
from hard coughing. 

With these suggestions and the detailed 
treatment already given for colds, coughs, and 
catarrh, one should be able successfully to 
handle most of the complications which may 
result from these diseases, always remember¬ 
ing that “A stitch in time saves nine” and that 
prompt treatment of the first symptoms of ab¬ 
normality will prevent their developing into 
anything more serious. 


198 




CHAPTER IX 


Main Points in Treatment 
Summarized 

I N order that the reader may have notes 
which he can use for ready reference dur¬ 
ing the progress of his treatment, I am giving 
in this chapter a brief summary of the main 
points which I have brought out in regard to 
colds, coughs, and catarrh, and also an outline 
of the treatment in each case. 

Diseases, particularly colds, coughs, and 
catarrh, are not “caught,” but are developed 
as a result of wrong habits of living. These, 
then, are the real causes and should be given 
the most attention, regardless of the exciting 
cause in the particular case. Treatment by 
natural methods consists largely in a correc¬ 
tion of the habits of living; but various special 
measures also may be required, according to 
the peculiarities of the individual case. 

A cold is an acute disease; that is, the body 
is working strongly to bring about extra elimi- 
199 


Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


nation, and the symptoms are correspondingly 
violent. It is important to avoid giving the 
body any unnecessary work to do, and to con¬ 
serve energy. 

Catarrh is a chronic disease; that is, the 
body still is trying to eliminate, but being 
weakened from a long period of abuse it can¬ 
not work so strenuously and the symptoms 
are, therefore, less violent. The important 
points in treatment are the building of vital¬ 
ity and increase of elimination. 

A cough is only a symptom, being found 
most often associated with colds and catarrh; 
but it may also arise from disturbances in 
other parts of the body, from nerve irritations, 
nerve pressure, and from the presence of for¬ 
eign matter. 

Symptoms are simply the signs of the 
body’s efforts to remove the real disease, which 
is a clogging of the organism with toxins of 
one kind or another. 

The habits of living include eating, drink¬ 
ing, breathing, exercising, bathing, sleeping, 
working, playing, and thinking. If these are 
not right, disease develops; but if they are 
right, one enjoys a genuine immunity. Pre- 
200 



Main Points Summarized 


vention, therefore, consists entirely in right 
living. 

TREATMENT OF COLDS 

Just Coming On: 

A long walk with deep breathing of the* 
fresh air. 

Evening meal to consist of nothing but acid 
fruit. 

Enema and hot immersion bath before re¬ 
tiring. 

Retire early in a well-ventilated bedroom. 
Eat lightly the next day or take a short fast. 
Give particular attention to the habits of 
living. 
iDeveloped: 

Acid fruit diet until symptoms are gone. 
Enemas daily. 

Hot immersion bath the first night. 

Plenty of sleep and fresh air. 

Cold neck pack. 

Air, dry-friction, and cold water bath daily. 
Sun-bath daily if possible. 

Walking and deep breathing. 

General exercise for vigorous persons only. 
Special exercise for nasal circulation. 

Milk diet after symptoms are gone. 
Combination diet if necessary. 

Normal diet after milk diet. 

Special attention to right living. 

201 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


Becoming Complicated: 

Absolute fast. 

More rest. 

Hot-blanket pack or cold wet-sheet pack. 
Otherwise, same as for developed cold. 

TREATMENT OF COUGHS 

Treat the disease or condition to which the 
cough is due. 

When due to nerve pressure: 

Spinal treatments. 

Treatment for tumor, aneurysm, goitre, etc. 
When due to nerve irritation through reflex: 
Treat the part of the body affected. 
Fasting always of value. 

When due to foreign matter: 

Fresh air. 

Lean forward; slap on the back. 

Surgery when necessary. 

Palliative measures: 

Honey or honey and lemon. 

Flaxseed tea. 

Throat packs and compresses. 

Cold packs have widest usage. 

Spray nose and throat for cleanliness. 

Salt water spray. 

Suppression: 

Partial suppression justified only in special 
and extreme cases. 

202 




Main Points Summarized 


Will power and suggestion. 

Spinal inhibition. 

Local anesthetics. 

Drugs (as a last resort). 

TREATMENT OF CATARRH 

Fast or fruit diet for from seven to thirty days. 
Ten-day orange diet usually employed. 
Repeated if necessary. 

Daily enemas. 

Free drinking of water. 

Fresh air. 

Milk and fruit diet after the fast. 

Fruit and vegetable diet after the milk diet, 
or if overweight after the fast, or if unable 
to take milk. 

Fast or fruit diet for a few days every 
month. 

Deep breathing. 

Bathing—Air, dry-friction, cold water baths. 

Sun, steam, or electric cabinet baths. 
Exercise—General exercises. 

Walking. 

Sleep and rest—relaxation. 

Proper mental attitude—autosuggestion. 
Avoid bad habits of any kind. 

Keep nose and throat clean. 

Salt water spray or douche. 

Oil spray. 


203 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


Operation occasionally needed for deflected 
septum, adenoids, polypi. 

Climate—moderately high dry. 

TREATMENT OF COMPLICATIONS 

Absolute fast, or longer fruit diet. 

More rest. 

Local treatment according to part affected. 

If distinctly different condition develops, 
treat according to its nature. 


204 



CHAPTER X 


Prevention of Future Colds, Coughs 
and Catarrh 

I STATED in another part of this book 
that prevention was more important than 
treatment, and so it is. This should be obvious 
to anyone. But most of you who read this 
book will do so because you have a cold, cough, 
or catarrh of which you desire to be relieved, 
and until you have regained your health you 
will not be in a position to keep health. So, 
the first and greater portion of this book has 
been devoted to causes and treatment. Hav¬ 
ing cured your colds, coughs, or catarrhs (as 
I hope) by means of the directions so far 
given, the problem now arises as to how to 
prevent future ones. 

The main points—practice of right living, 
study of your case, and eternal vigilance— 
have been mentioned elsewhere, and repeatedly 
I have called your attention to the fact that 

205 


Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


avoidance of causes avoids the disease. To 
repeat here would seem unnecessary; but it 
is so easy to become careless, and there are 
so many pitfalls for the unwary that I feel 
that further emphasis on some points and elab¬ 
oration of others are both justified and ad¬ 
vantageous. 

The first thing to remember is not to return 
to your old habits of living. You may have 
been carrying in your mind the thought of 
the nice juicy steak you were going to enjoy 
after you had finished your special diet; or 
you may have been luxuriating in the antici¬ 
pation of lying in bed as long as you wished 
in the morning instead of getting up and tak¬ 
ing your exercise; or some other pet bad habit 
may have been monopolizing your attention; 
but if you desire health, if you have any yearn¬ 
ing toward the joys associated with abound¬ 
ing vitality, you will make up your mind once 
and for all to turn your back on your former 
habits and adhere strictly to those which are 
conducive to health. 

If you will do so you soon will discover that 
you have formed the habit of right living and 
that the old temptations now have no power 
206 



Prevention of Future Colds 


over you. You will enjoy living rightly. You 
will no longer look upon it as a continual self- 
denial. Your former bad habits will seem as 
strange and foreign to you as your present 
good habits did before you adopted them and 
became acquainted with them to a sufficient 
extent to learn their real nature. You will 
find that right living has so many compensa¬ 
tions besides the mere immunity from disease 
(which is no small thing in itself) that you 
never will return to your old ways of living. 
No matter how many times you may fall by 
the wayside you will find yourself continually 
striving to do better until you finally have 
won the complete victory. 

Many people, however, are inclined to think 
that they are living rightly when they are not, 
and when they fail to secure results they con¬ 
demn natural methods of living. But this is 
only because they have failed to give the mat¬ 
ter proper study and attention. Some of the 
pitfalls that are constantly garnering their 
harvest of victims are the following: 

“Just this once.” Many a person has felt 
that he could indulge in some wrong habit of 
living “just this once” without its indulgence 
207 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


hurting him. And probably he could. The 
trouble is that “just this once” whets the appe¬ 
tite for more, and each time one yields it makes 
it easier to yield the next time. Almost be¬ 
fore one realizes it a regular habit again has 
been formed. The only safe way is to resist 
all temptation, and in a short while one will 
find that what once was a temptation has 
ceased to be beguiling. 

Occasional Indulgence. This applies par¬ 
ticularly to certain articles of food. Some such 
articles are on the borderline between good 
and bad foods and their occasional use works 
no particular harm. But here again there is 
the ever-present danger of unconsciously de¬ 
veloping a habit. It is better to avoid all such 
foods until one has become so entrenched in 
the habit of eating rightly that he will be able 
to adhere to occasional indulgence with little 
or no danger of going further. 

Overeating of health foods. Whole wheat 
bread frequently is used to excess by persons 
recently converted to its use. It has a good 
flavor and because it is a health food they are 
inclined to think they can use any amount of 
it. Even if they use only the same amount of 
208 




Prevention of Future Colds 


whole wheat that they did of white it may be 
too much, because of its greater solidity. Or 
they may have used too much white bread be¬ 
fore. Most people eat too much bread any¬ 
how. The same may be said of whole grain 
products of all kinds. Because of their tempt¬ 
ing flavor sweet fruits and nuts also are fre¬ 
quently overeaten. These are concentrated 
foods and should be used in moderation in any 
case, but particularly when one is just getting 
hack to health. The same applies to honey. 
Honey with whole wheat bread is delicious, 
and one must be constantly on guard not to 
use too much of it. I have already called your 
attention to the fact that overeating of starch 
and sugar is a frequent cause of colds, coughs, 
and catarrh. 

Exercise “systems.” If one maps out a 
series of exercises which use all the larger 
groups of muscles in the body and then prac¬ 
tices them a certain number of times each day, 
he will be doing himself much good. But if 
he never changes his “system” the time will 
come when it will not be sufficient for his needs, 
unless it is more comprehensive and flexible 
than the average person devises. He will be- 
209 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


come so accustomed to them that they will re¬ 
quire little effort; they will become monotonous 
and he will be inclined to neglect them; and 
because of these facts they will not be effective 
in protecting him from disease. I do not wish 
to minimize the value of such “systems, but 
wish merely to show how you unconsciously 
may be failing to get the exercise you need. 
The better plan is to have several such sys¬ 
tems and to alternate or mix them; to have 
some simple apparatus which may be used oc¬ 
casionally, and to take part in sports if it is 
at all possible to do so. Games and sports 
furnish a great variety of movements and 
plenty of interest, and, frequently, get one out 
into fresh air and sunlight. In any case, use 
sufficient exercise to call for enough exertion 
to guarantee the physiological benefits you 
need. 

Neglect of cold baths in winter. It is an 
axiom of cold bathing that the body should be 
warm before applying the cold water, and if 
one finds that the cold weather gives him a 
chilly feeling he is inclined to neglect such 
bathing. The remedy is to exercise sufficiently 
to warm up, wearing extra clothing if neces- 
210 



Prevention of Future Colds 


sary. Dry-friction immediately before the 
cold bath also is of great value. As a last 
resort take a hot bath first; this to be not over 
three minutes in duration. 

Neglect of fresh air. It is so easy to neglect 
this prime requisite for the prevention of colds, 
coughs, and catarrh that I feel it can stand 
further mention than has been given it thus 
far. See that your homes, particularly the 
bedrooms, are properly ventilated, even if 
your place of business is not. Window venti¬ 
lators can be secured at moderate prices that 
give quite good results. Spend as much time 
as possible out of doors, and in order to be 
sure that you are out a certain amount it is 
well to time yourself. You will be surprised 
to find how the time gradually lessens unless 
you watch it closely. At least one hour should 
be spent out of doors each day. 

Neglect of sleep and relaxation. We all are 
so busy these days, particularly when we be¬ 
gin to feel good again after a period of indis¬ 
position, that before we realize it the hours of 
sleep and relaxation are being crowded and 
curtailed. Learn to plan your day so that you 
can do all the really necessary things and still 
211 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


secure adequate sleep. When you have made 
your plan, adhere to it until it has become a 
habit, else it may prove of little value. 

Careless thinking. This is a very easy pit- 
fall into which to stumble. Most of us have 
been so little trained in observing and regulat¬ 
ing our thoughts that it takes considerable time 
and practice to get the habit of proper think¬ 
ing. It is well to set aside a certain period 
each day to be used for suggestion, develop¬ 
ment of consciousness, and concentration on 
the habits of thinking. It will be time well 
spent and bountifully repaid. There are so 
many things which may disturb our thought- 
equilibrium to our detriment that more or less 
regular preventive thinking must be used. 

However careful you are to observe the gen¬ 
eral principles of right living you cannot se¬ 
cure the best results unless you study your 
own case and adapt these principles to your 
own individual needs. Everybody is not alike 
in all points. 

Some may find that regularity of meals 
agrees best with them, while others may find 
that they get along better by eating only when 
they have a well-defined hunger, no matter 

212 




Prevention of Future Colds 


how irregularly this condition may appear. 
Some may find that a day of fasting at stated 
intervals is an excellent preventive of ills, 
while others may find that they do best to fast 
only when they feel that all is not as it should 
be. Some can handle a much larger amount 
of starches and sweets than others. This, of 
course, is especially true of those regularly ex¬ 
pending considerable energy in work or play. 

The total quantity of food required also 
varies greatly in individual cases. The same 
is true of exercise. Some may need very little 
to keep in condition because they are so care¬ 
ful of their other habits, while those who are 
not so careful or who vary in other ways may 
need considerably more. Sleep is a notoriously 
variable quantity in the regimens of healthy 
people. 

When it comes to right thinking some turn 
to religion while others prefer to use scientific 
terms and apply themselves to psychology. 
The results are the same in the end, yet fail¬ 
ure might result if the scientifically minded 
person attempted to use religion, or vice verm. 

It should not be very difficult, however, for 
a person to discover just what variations of 
213 



Colds, Coughs and Catarrh 


the fundamental principles best suits him. A 
little time, thought, and practice will yield rich 
rewards here. 

Finally, in your efforts to prevent colds, 
coughs, and catarrh (also other diseases) 
never forget that eternal vigilance is the price 
of health, and hence of immunity to disease. 
Do not let health matters become an obsession 
to you, but do not become careless, either. 
Find the regimen that agrees with you and 
then adhere to it, but keep “an eye out” con¬ 
tinually for the adversities of environment. 
Let your goal be perfection, and do not be 
satisfied until you attain it. 

[the end] 


214 





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